India beat New Zealand 4-0 to clinch Bronze medal at Sultan Azlan Shah Cup

Rupinder Pal Singh converted two penalty corners as India outclassed New Zealand 4-0 to clinch a bronze medal in the 26th Sultan Azlan Shah Cup, here on Saturday.

Rupinder Pal sent identical ground drag-flicks into the corner past New Zealand goalkeeper Richard Joyce’s outstretched right hand in the 17th and 27th minutes.

SV Sunil then scored his first goal of the tournament in the 48th minute as he capitalised on a cross from Mandeep Singh into the goalmouth, while Talwinder Singh rounded off India’s scoring in the last minute.

Earlier, Malaysia defeated Japan 3-1 in the playoff to decide the fifth place in the tournament standings.

According to a PTI news report in Times of India, having failed to earn a place in the final after a listless show in the last preliminary league encounter against Malaysia yesterday, India gave an improved display to clinch the bronze medal – a shade below their silver medal behind Australia in the tournament last year.

Combining well, the Indian strikers showed purpose when they moved into the rival territory, but India missed three sitters in the first quarter that ended goalless.