South Africa hold India

Playing an ultra-defensive game, India twice took the lead but threw it all away in the end to settle for a 2-2 draw against South Africa in their second match, in the inaugural Champions Challenge hockey tournament, at the National hockey stadium, in Bukit Jalil, Kuala Lumpur, on Saturday.

India, who had scraped past Belgium 1-0 on Friday, now have four points from two matches.

South Africa, who shocked strong contenders Argentina in their first game on Friday, also have four points.

In the second match of the day, Malaysia beat Belgium 2-0.

India have themselves to blame for missing out on a win. Their defensive attitude was hard to understand. In the first half they started well and even the midfield, which was sluggish on Friday, moved well.

With Deepak Thakur back in the team after missing the match against Belgium, there was a sharpness in the frontline. But after leading 2-1 at the break, India preferred to play a defensive game and helped the South Africans to recover and draw the match.

After the match, India coach Cedric D'Souza said many of his players were down with fever and that was one reason why Sabu Varkey and Kanwalpreet Singh were not fielded.

"Ignace Tirkey is out with malaria and we have decided that the entire team should go in for blood tests on Sunday so that we are sure that other players are not carrying anything."

Off an infringement against Dhanraj Pillay, India earned their first penalty-corner in the ninth minute. Jugraj Singh had enough power in his flick to show that in the forthcoming World Cup he could just be the match-winner India needs. His powerful flick zipped in past a stunned South African goalkeeper as India went up 1-0.

But within a minute, the South Africans found the equaliser when Justin King powered in another flick past a stranded India 'keeper Jude Menezes.

Both India and South Africa wasted their next penalty-corners, earned in the 12th and 14th minutes respectively.

After dominating for another couple of minutes, India earned their third penalty-corner but the ball couldn't be stopped properly. Sukhbir Singh Gill, however, managed to pull the ball back and gave it to Jugraj, who moved into the circle and took a powerful shot that rebounded off the goalkeeper's pads. Thakur, who was lurking next to the goalkeeper, picked up the rebound and whacked it in to give India the lead once again.

At the break, India led 2-1.

India attacked in the very first minute after resumption and won their fourth penalty-corner but Baljit Dhillon's flick was wasted.

In the 42nd minute, Prabhjot Singh broke away from the top of the circle but his stinger was well saved by the South African goalkeeper.

Surprisingly, India fell back and re-grouped in the midfield after that. Even Baljit Dhillon and Dhanraj Pillay did not venture upfront. That gave the South Africans the chance to forge moves and gain ball possession.

Malaysian umpire Paramjit Singh made things a bit difficult for India by showing the yellow card to Arjun Halappa. D'Souza later said he couldn't understand why it was shown.

Halappa's expulsion reduced the India to ten men and South Africa had an extra gap to exploit. They earned a penalty-stroke in the 52nd minute, when Lazarus Barla took the ball on his foot. However, goalkeeper Jude Menezes saved it brilliantly by gloving the ball away.

South Africa earned two penalty-corners in the 55th and 56th minutes but India managed to save them.

The equaliser for South Africa finally came in the 60th minute, when India made the cardinal mistake of not cutting off a cross. Mike Cullen's cross was beautifully deflected in by Craig Fulton, who made amends for the hash he made of the 'stroke'.

India attacked in the last few minutes but their efforts to get the match-winner were unsuccessful.

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