PARIS: India skipper Harmanpreet Singh scored a late goal for the second game in a row to force a 1-1 draw with Argentina in Pool B of the men's hockey at the Paris Olympics on Monday.
The dragflick specialist scored a late winner against New Zealand on Saturday and struck again in the penultimate minute of India's second game to level up the scores after Lucas Martinez had put Argentina ahead in the 22nd minute.
"I think we create so many chances, we are going into the circle and getting some good pieces but the finishing was not there today," Harmanpreet said.
"So for the next match we need to keep in our mind that whenever we get a chance we need to finish 100%."
Belgium and Australia top Pool B after the Kookaburras' earlier 2-1 win over Ireland. India are in third place with four points, Argentina are fourth with a single point. The top four from each group go through to the quarter-finals.
In the women's afternoon game, the United States secured a hardfought 1-1 draw with Spain to secure their first point of the Games.
Spain had 19 shots and the United Eagles had to clear two of them off the line after the ball had slipped past goalkeeper Kelsey Bing.
"I think it was half luck, half bravery that the ball just landed on my stick," U.S. co-captain Ashley Hoffman said of one of the clearances.
"I would have loved to walk away with three points. But we have one point, and that's more than zero."
Spain top Pool B with four points from Argentina and Australia, who play their second games later on Monday against South Africa and Britain respectively.
In the early women's match, China ran up the score against Japan with a 5-0 win to earn their first points in Pool A of the Games after a disappointing late loss to Belgium on Sunday. - Reuters