From streets of Lucknow, Amir rises to defend India

Olivier Hortensius was charging towards the Indian goal; 2-0 up and moments away from the first-half hooter, another Dutch goal would have surely put the game beyond India's reach. 

- Sandip Sikdar

But the diminutive India defender Amir AIi had other plans. The 19-year-old rushed towards Hortensius and made a brilliant tackle. That move provided the impetus India needed to produce a spectacular come-from-behind victory to outwit powerhouse Netherlands 4-3 and enter the semi-finals of the FIH Junior Men's Hockey World Cup in Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday.

After Timo Boers (5th min) and Pepijn van der Heijden (16th) put Netherlands 2-0 up via two penalty corners, Aditya Lalage (34th) and Araijeet Singh Hundal (35th) levelled the contest in the third quarter. Hortensius (44th) put Netherlands ahead once more before Sourabh Kushwaha (52nd) and skipper Uttam Singh (57th) put India in front for the first time, three minutes from the final hooter. But that's not where the contest ended. The Dutch earned six successive PCs in the final two minutes at the Bukit Jalil National Hockey Stadium. Once again rushers Amir and Rohit came to India's rescue, thwarting any chance of the Dutch drawing level, guiding India to their third consecutive semi-final.