Chandigarh, Aug 5 (IANS): Hailing the spectacular victory of the Indian hockey squad over Great Britain at the Olympics, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Sunday commended the team, playing with 10 players, for defeating the opponents in a penalty shootout.

Congratulating the team, the Chief Minister extended good wishes to them for the upcoming matches.

He said the Indian players had exhibited remarkable skill during the match, especially in the shootout, thereby leading the team to the semi-finals of the Paris Olympics.

Mann said: "It is a moment of pride and satisfaction for every countryman as the players have steered the team to this historic victory."

He expressed hope that the hockey team would script a new success story by bagging the gold for the country in the Paris Olympics. He said that the entire country is eagerly waiting to give a rousing reception to the heroes of the Indian hockey squad when they return home with the medal.

The Indian men's hockey team once again rose to the occasion and stood tall against Great Britain to take a 1-1 (4-2) victory in a shootout to secure a semi-final berth in the Paris Olympics.

This is the first time since 1972 in Munich that India have reached the semifinals in men's hockey in two successive Olympic Games. Previously, India had won successive bronze medals at the 1968 and 1972 Olympics after reaching the semis. India won the bronze medal in the Tokyo Olympics and is in the fray to at least replicate or better that performance in Paris.

For India, captain Harmanpreet Singh (22’) netted a goal while Lee Morton (27’) was on the scoresheet for Great Britain as the match ended with the score tied at 1-1 in the regular time, thus forcing the game into the shootout, where India converted all their chances and denied their opponents twice to win the match and make it to the semi-finals.