After playing out a 3-3 draw during regulation time, it came down to a shootout and India lost.
The Indian men's hockey team has been eliminated from the ongoing FIH Men's Hockey World Cup 2023, which is taking place in Bhubaneswar and Rourkela. After ending their 41-year wait for an Olympic medal in Tokyo 2020, the Indian team had high hopes of ending their 48-year wait for a podium finish in the World Cup. However, their dreams were dashed when they suffered a shocking defeat against the New Zealand team in the cross-over match on Sunday (January 22).
After playing to a 3-3 draw in regulation, the match moved to a shootout, where both teams were only able to convert three chances each. This created a sudden-death situation, and India could only manage to score one of their four opportunities, while the Black Sticks found the back of the net twice, eliminating India from the race to qualify for the quarterfinals.
It was a disastrous performance by Team India, who squandered the opportunities that presented themselves.
However, credit must be given to New Zealand goalkeeper Leon Hayward, who kept his composure and made some remarkable saves in the shootout. Coming off the bench for the shootout, Hayward proved his worth by saving five out of eight penalties, ultimately propelling his team to victory.
Despite having a full-time job as a chartered accountant in Auckland, Hayward is also a star hockey player. In an interview with Sportstar, he revealed that he only has 10 to 15 hours a week to dedicate to hockey due to his demanding job. "It gets pretty difficult to put that time aside," he said.
Fortunately, Hayward has a very flexible employer who allows him to "fiddle around with his hockey" when he has the time. He is also grateful for his two bosses, Greg and Alan, who are understanding and supportive of his dreams. "The whole team is really caring and understanding of my situation and my dreams," Hayward said.
Hayward is the elder brother of Australia defender Jeremy, who is also competing in the ongoing event and even scored a hat-trick in the three-time World Cup winner's opening game. Leon also represented Australia in 2014 before relocating to New Zealand in 2019 and becoming eligible to play for the Black Sticks through his mother's lineage. His mother, Ellie, was a hockey player as well, making them a true hockey dynasty.
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