Two-time champion India’s hopes of podium finish failed as the men in blue lost 1-3 to Spain in the bronze medal playoff match in the Junior Men’s hockey World Cup In Kuala Lumpur on Saturday.

Goals from Nicolas Alvarez (25th and 51st minute) and Petchame Pau (40th) earned Spain a third place as Sunil Jojo’ with 28th-minute penalty-corner conversion kept India in the hunt till the half time when teams were levelled 1-1.

This was India’s second defeat to Spain in this edition of the tournament, having lost to them 1-4 in the pool stages. India had also finished fourth in the last edition of the tournament in 2021 in Bhubaneswar.

Spain, following the win against the Uttam Singh-led side, equalled their best showing in the global tournament, adding to the bronze they had won in the 2005 edition in Rotterdam, beating India 6-5 on penalties.

Spain dominated the match and India would have lost by a bigger margin had it not been for some brilliant saves by goalkeeper Mohith Shashikumar after half-time.

The Indian goalkeeper came up with two stunning saves in the 33rd minute. His fine anticipation saw him save two shots at the goal to keep the scoreline 1-1.

Alvarez gave Spain the lead in the 25th minute, when he ran down the left flank all the way before sending in a diagonal shot, which deflected off the goalkeeper’s gloves into the goal.

Three minutes later, India drew parity with Sunil Jojo scoring from the follow-up of a penalty corner. Jojo’s quick anticipation enabled him to score with a flick after the rival goalkeeper had saved the first attempt.

India again flopped with PC conversions, quite like the semifinal against Germany where they wasted a dozen of them in the 1-4 thrashing, they also seemed to lack the will to go all out. Barring Jojo’s 28th minute conversion, rest of the eight PC attempts went abegging.

Spain took the lead through Petchame Pau in the 40th minute, sending the ball past Mohith.

India’s disjointed defence took another goal in the 51st minute when Cabre Verdiell’s run on the left found Alvarez, who deflected the ball into the goal as Mohith drifted to the other corner.

As the timer clicked away, there was desperation in the Indian camp, which resulted in a couple of collisions, leading to Petchame limping off three minutes before the final hooter and Pere Amat also seeking the team physio’s help.

India last had a podium in 2016 when they won the gold medal in the Lucknow edition of the tournament. Their first title triumph came in Hobart in 2001, before finishing runners-up in Milton Keynes, England in 1997.