India 2-1 Spain Hockey Highlights, Bronze Medal Match, Paris Olympics: IND Win It For Retiring Sreejesh

Welcome to the live coverage of the men's hockey bronze medal match being played between India and Spain at the Paris Olympics 2024 on Thursday. India are eyeing their back-to-back Olympic bronze medal against Spain. Harmanpreet Singh and Co. are ready to give the veteran goalkeeper PR Sreejesh a proper farewell with a win. Follow the live scores and updates of the men's hockey bronze medal match, India Vs Spain at the Paris Olympics 2024, here. (Streaming | Medal Table | Schedule & Results)

India enjoy a sizeable advantage over Spain, when it comes to face-offs in the Olympics. They have won seven of the 10 matches played between the two teams at the Summer Games, while Spain have won one and two have ended in draws. As for the overall head-to-head, in 71 matches, India have won 31, Spain have won 26 and 14 have been drawn.

Both teams stand proudly for their national anthems for one last time at the 2024 Olympics. An emotional occasion for India and PR Sreejesh, as it will be the legendary goalkeeper's last match for the country.

We have the push back and the fight for bronze begins.

Attritional play in the first couple of minutes as both teams seek early goal-scoring opportunities. India pressing forward, but not committing entirely as of now.

India now creating some chances. Sukhjeet and Gurjant both take shots at the goal, and the former's strike goes while wide while the latter's hit is blocked by Spain goalie Luis Calzado.

India captain Harmanpreet accidentally hits his teammate Gurjant with his assist near the goalpost. Gurjant has to go off after the blow on the head. Here's hoping it is nothing serious.

Still no penalty corner for either side in what has been a cagey affair thus far. First quarter about to end, neither team willing to leave defensive gaps.

No goals in a relatively uneventful first quarter, and the second one begins in the sultry conditions that are making play challenging for both teams in the afternoon.

Spain score! They earn a penalty stroke in the 18th minute and Marc Miralles makes no mistake, beating Sreejesh with a rasping hit in the top-right corner. India have work to do.

Spain now garner their first penalty corner of the match. Jose Basterra's drag-flick is blocked by first rusher Amit Rohidas, and the PC is re-awarded. The second one is deflected wide of goal, and India scramble to safety.

This is what India missed in the semi-final against Germany - Rohidas' expert PC-rushing skills.

Spain are making circle penetrations more frequently than India and creating more field-goal chances too. Time for India to step up the attack, before the deficit goes to two goals.

Spain unlucky to not go 2-0 up as Borja Lacalle's shot at goal hits the post, and a resulting penalty corner is somehow saved by Sreejesh and Co. India quick to pounce on the counter, and earn a PC of their own within seconds. Harmanpreet's drag-flick is blocked.

Harmanpreet Singh scores! India generate another PC, with 21.2 seconds left in the second quarter. Hardik makes the injection, and the India captain delivers yet again with a clinical finish to the keeper's left. India back on level terms at the end of the first half.

The second half begins. Spain would have been rattled by India's late strike in the second quarter, and it will be interesting to see how they respond. As for India, Harmanpreet sounding the board is good news and an encore is imperative for their bronze medal hopes.

Harmanpreet scores again! India go 2-1 up on the back of another low drag-flick from the skipper towards the Spanish keeper Calzado's right. The leading goal-scorer of the Games delivers yet again when it matters most for his team.

India now earning PCs in quick succession. They prepare their castle for another short corner but Spain review, and the ball is indeed deemed dangerously high. The decision is reversed, Spain win a free hit and Jordi Bonastre goes off the pitch after the blow from Harmanpreet's hit.

Spain find the back of the net but the umpire calls off the goal, deeming that the ball came off a Spanish body into the net. He takes an umpire review and the third umpire agrees with him. India hold on to their slender advantage.

India surviving some anxious moments in defence, as the clock is running down in the third quarter. And they are agile enough to seize an opportunity for a quick counter, and another PC results. This time, Harmanpreet's shot is saved by Calzado, and the Indian captain does not have a hat-trick (as yet).

India avert a Spain goal attempt early in the fourth and final quarter. Manpreet's mistrap puts the ball into Hardik’s foot inside the Indian circle and a Spanish PC results. Marc Recasens's strike goes wide of the goalpost and India breathe a sigh of relief.

Aerial balls flying thick and fast now, as the action gets more frantic in the final quarter. Meanwhile, Sukhjeet gets a green card for a foul and will sit out for two minutes. Will Spain capitalize against a temporarily 10-man India?

Tense moments for the Indian defence. Spain earn a PC with just over one minute to go, and Sreejesh stands tall again to deny Miralles. Spain review, nevertheless for dangerous play. But the decision stands, Spain lose their referral. India hold on.

More drama, with 44.2 seconds to go. A folly from Harmanpreet leads to a Spain short corner. Sreejesh clears it, the ball goes flying and there is a re-award. Spain bungle the second PC and India break clear. Seconds running down.

INDIA WIN! The bronze medal is theirs again, three years after the Tokyo 2020 heroics. The hooter rings out after a nerve-wracking final few seconds in the fourth quarter, and India retain their 2-1 lead. Sreejesh is ecstatic, so are his teammates. They dreamed of the gold and fell short, but bronze isn't half bad. That they won it for the second Games running underlines India's growing consistency and might in the global arena.

Just like what we witnessed in Tokyo, the Indian celebrations are a sight to behold. Sreejesh first climbs atop the goalpost as only he can. His teammates then lift him on their shoulders, as all the Indian supporters at the stadium rejoice along with the team, coach Craig Fulton and the support staff.

With its second successive bronze medal at the Olympics, the Indian men's hockey team has clinched back-to-back medals at the Summer Games for the first time in 52 years. The last time India won consecutive Olympic hockey medals was in 1968 (bronze) and 1972 editions (bronze). The third-place finish at the Tokyo 2020 Games had come after a hiatus of 41 years, and the medal today breaks a disappointing medal-less spell for the Indian contingent, which has endured six fourth-place finishes so far apart from the heartbreaking disqualification of wrestler Vinesh Phogat.