LONDON — Gordon Johnston scored twice, including the game-winner on a backhand shot in the 44th minute, as Canada rallied from a 2-1 deficit in the second half and beat sixth-ranked India 3-2 on Sunday to finish fifth at the 2017 field hockey world league semifinal and qualify for the 2018 World Cup.
"We stuck to our game plan, we got a little bit of luck in a couple areas, and our goalkeeper was fantastic," said men's national team interim head coach Paul Bundy after the win. "We've worked so hard, we're a really small, tight knit community and I think it's going to mean a lot to Canada."
Goalkeeper Antoni Kindler had a career-defining match, playing particularly well in the second half, holding off the Indian attack and preserving the win. Keegan Pereira had Canada's other goal.
"It was an all around great team performance," said Kindler, who was making only his second start of the competition. "We came out with one goal and that was to get the win from today and mission accomplished."
Canada joins host England, Malaysia, Argentina, and the Netherlands as the five teams that earned a 2018 World Cup spot by finishing in the top five in London.
Johnston's two-goal performance gives him a total of five on the competition, tying him with Canadian captain Scott Tupper for the team lead.
The Canadian Press
