GB wait for men’s hockey medal goes on after shootout heartbreak

Great Britain’s wait for a first Olympic men’s hockey medal since 1988 continues after they were beaten 4-2 by India in a tense shootout in Paris.

GB had already come from behind through Lee Morton and were the dominant side in the final quarter as they looked for a winner against 10-player India.

However, with the score level at 1-1 after a chaotic quarter-final, Britain were forced to go into a best-of-five shootout.

A miss from Conor Williamson on the third effort gave India the advantage and, after Phil Roper was denied, Kumar Pal slotted home to spark jubilant scenes among the India fans at Yves-du-Manoir Stadium.

Britain’s men slumped to the floor, with some in tears, as they lost at the last-eight stage of an Olympics for the second time in a row.

Captain David Ames, who confirmed his retirement in his media interviews afterwards, said it would “sting for a long time”.

“It is a huge opportunity missed,” the 35-year-old said.

“We worked so hard to be in this environment. It is hard to describe when you aren’t in it – the sacrifice and everything you do.

“I am very proud to have been part of this journey and this team is going to be around for a very long time.”

Great Britain have not won a men’s Olympic hockey medal since their gold at the Seoul Games.

They came into Paris as the world’s second-ranked side and were tipped as medal contenders – which will make this defeat all the more painful.

The side spoke about their never-say-die attitude in the pool stages, where they came from behind in three matches in a row to twice draw and then win.

GB were the dominant side against India, particularly after Amit Rohidas was sent off.

Red cards are exceptionally rare in hockey but the defender was shown one after just 17 minutes when he caught William Calnan in the face with his raised stick.

India kept their composure and took the lead through a powerful swept shot from Harmanpreet Singh that flew past goalkeeper Ollie Payne.

Morton was in the right place to pounce and shovel in his third goal of the Games to draw level.

GB pushed hard for a winner but India goalkeeper PR Sreejesh produced a stunning block to deny Calman in the closing stages and Sam Ward was unable to poke home from close range.

That led to a shootout and, with much of the crowd supporting India, Sreejesh saved attempts from Williamson and Roper.

“I am absolutely devastated for those GB men,” Kate Richardson-Walsh, gold medallist in Rio in 2016, said on BBC TV.

“This team is absolutely capable of being Olympic medallists, I have no doubt about that, but we are going to have to wait.

“Four years seems a long way away now.”

India will face the winner of Germany or Argentina in the semi-finals on 6 August.

On the other side of the draw, Spain beat Belgium 3-2 in their quarter-final and will face either the Netherlands or Australia in the final four.