Debutant Dominic Dixon came into the match against India with 36 international caps for New Zealand. But for the 58 minutes he stood under the bar, he was all about strong basics, impeccable timing and quick reflexes. The goalkeeper made it almost impossible for India to cross the finish line on Saturday. But with 1.56 minutes left on the clock, Indian skipper Harmanpreet Singh turned the tables , found the net off a penalty stroke (59th minute)to ensure a 3-2 opening win for India.
In a match in which the Tokyo bronze medallists swayed from mediocre to methodical, their seasoned goalkeeper PR Sreejesh, who withstood a barrage of penalty corners, was a game changer. New Zealand drew first blood through Sam Lane (8th minute) with Simon Child (53) being the other scorer.
