Olympics 2024: Sreejesh is the god of Indian hockey – Dilip Tirkey

Former India captain and Hockey India president Dilip Tirkey called Indian veteran goalkeeper PR Sreejesh as the god of Indian hockey. Sreejesh delivered an exemplary performance as India defeated Great Britain on penalties in the quarterfinal of the ongoing Paris Olympics 2024 at the Yves du Manoir Stadium on Sunday.

After the first quarter went goalless, there was a lot of action in the second frame. First, Amit Rohidas was sent off by the referee for raising his stick and India was down to 10 men. 

However, the red card didn’t bog India down as skipper Harmanpreet Singh found the back of the net through a penalty corner. This was the seventh goal for the Indian captain in the ongoing Games.

But Great Britain bounced back to equalize as Lee Morton scored. Subsequently, Indian players defended with everything they had and Sreejesh was like a wall in front of the goal and Great Britain could not find a way past him despite several penalty corner opportunities.

In the shootout, Sreejesh turned up his game even more as he didn’t give any room. While Conor Williamson lofted the ball above the post, Sreejesh blocked Phillip Roper’s shot before Raj Kumar Pal scored to put India in semis.

“I can understand how difficult it is to play with 10 men. That’s why we didn’t see many attacks. The team planned in the right way with the intention of defending (every attack from the opposition). It kept the defense crowded. If we had attacked again and again, there would have been a lot of gaps in our defense. And they would have taken advantage of that,” said Tirkey on India Today.

“Sreejesh was the God of hockey for us today. He saved well. We were able to play a better match because of his performance.”

In an apparent reference to defender Rohidas’ red card suspension, Tirkey said, “At this level, people want to see a better match and players want to play a better match. The level of umpiring should be balanced. In today’s match something happened that should not have happened because of umpiring. But we won the match and we are celebrating.”

About the Author


Written by DafaNews

DafaNews brings you the most highlighted news in the world of Sports. It serves you up-to-date matches, scores, live streams, fantasy games and quizzes. Our news covers India's prestigious leagues and events – Premier League, Pro Kabbadi League, Cricket World Cup and many more. Follow DafaNews on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter,Telegram and Youtube for more updates.

Related Post
Share
Published by
DafaNews

Recent Posts

Warriors’ Steph Curry to miss 2 games due to ankle injury

Golden State Warriors superstar Steph Curry will miss the next two games after suffering a… Read More

October 29, 2024

Rodri wins Ballon d’Or after Premier League, Euro 2024 glory

Manchester City and Spain’s midfielder Rodri claimed the Ballon d’Or after winning the Premier League… Read More

October 29, 2024

“I think the lack of identity and style” – Gary Neville reveals reason for Erik Ten Hag’s sacking

Former Manchester United defender Gary Neville feels the lack of identity and playing style led… Read More

October 29, 2024

Carlos Alcaraz admits Saudi Arabia prize money was ‘good motivation’ for him

Carlos Alcaraz admitted Saudi Arabia prize money was a good motivation for him. Alcaraz acknowledged… Read More

October 29, 2024

We gained a point, didn’t lose two: Odisha FC’s Sergio Lobera after draw against Mumbai City FC

Odisha FC head coach Sergio Lobera feels they gained a point and didn’t lose two… Read More

October 29, 2024

India’s Women’s Hockey Team Announced for 2024 Asian Champions Trophy in Bihar

Hockey India has revealed the Indian Women’s Hockey team for the upcoming Asian Champions Trophy,… Read More

October 29, 2024