The Indian junior men’s hockey team triumphed over Australia 2-1 in the battle for third place at the ongoing 4 Nations Tournament on Wednesday. Rohit (45’) scored the equaliser for India before Ajeet Yadav’s (52’) fourth-quarter goal secured the victory. Earlier, Captain Toby Mallon had given Australia the lead in the second half.
Both teams engaged in a tense contest during the first half, with neither side managing to score in the opening two quarters. Strong defensive play and disciplined strategies from both teams ensured that goal-scoring opportunities were not converted, keeping the scores level heading into the third quarter.
Another victory over Australia! ??
Rohit opened the scoring for the Indian Junior Men’s Hockey Team with a powerful penalty corner, followed by Ajeet Yadav’s perfect goal to seal the win in style.?#HockeyIndia #IndiaKaGame
.@CMO_Odisha @IndiaSports @IndiaSports… pic.twitter.com/NTffWvv1FZ
— Hockey India (@TheHockeyIndia) June 25, 2025
Australia broke the deadlock in the third quarter when Toby Mallon scored a field goal in the 40th minute, putting them ahead 1-0. India responded quickly, with Rohit scoring the equaliser just five minutes later following a penalty corner.
With the momentum in their favour, India pressed on to find the winner in the final quarter. In the 52nd minute, Ajeet Yadav scored in open play, giving India the lead and sealing the victory.
The round-robin format of the 4 Nations Tournament saw all four participating teams – India, Germany, Australia, and Spain – play each other once. Based on the standings, the top two teams will contest the Final, while the bottom two teams will battle it out in the 3rd/4th place playoff.
This win concludes India’s campaign in the 4 Nations Tournament. During the pool stage, India started with a 1-7 loss to hosts Germany, bounced back with a strong 3-1 victory against Australia, and then faced a 1-5 defeat against Spain.