India pip New Zealand 3-2 for bronze

Kuala Lumpur, June 25 (UNI) Hari Prasad scored a fine brace as India rallied to edge past New Zealand 3-2 in the third place play off thus registering their first podium finish in six years at the Azlan Shah Cup hockey tournament today.

In the process, the Indians, who last won a medal -- bronze -- here in 2000, also avenged the defeats at the Athens Olympics and at the Commonwealth Games to the Kiwis. Incidentally at that time as well the coach was V Bhaskaran.

Hari Prasad sounded the board in the 8th and 34th minutes while drag flicker Sandeep Singh scored the winning goal in the 42nd minute.

However, it were New Zealand who took the lead in the 7th minute through Simon Child and then got a second goal in the 39th minute when Hayden Shaw flicked in a penalty corner.

Indian coach Bhaskaran was delighted that the team would be on the podium.

''We had set some targets and I am happy that we could accomplish them,'' he said.

''We would have been very happy playing the final but from the team points of view it has been a good comeback.'' Bhaskaran also said that he wasn't too worried when the forwards were missing goals.

''I was looking at the penalty corners also and our confidence in Sandeep Singh delivering is very high and I am glad that he could score the match-winner.'' Bhaskaran also praised the Indian goalkeeper Adrian D'Souza who he felt was back after losing his form during the Chennai Champions Trophy.

''I think he had a great game and I am very happy for him as that solves a few worries we had in the goalkeeping department.'' But for some atrocious finishing by the forwards, India could have really whipped the Kiwis by a bigger margin.

The momentum could have been established in the sixth minute itself when Arjun Halappa cut into the circle and his shot beat the Kiwi goalkeeper but the goal was disallowed by umpire Jung Min Jang of South Korea.

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