Did the Indian Men's Hockey Team Triumph Over Belgium in FIH Pro League?

Antwerp, June 22 (NationPress) The Indian Men's Hockey Team demonstrated remarkable resilience as they secured a thrilling 4-3 victory against the home team, Belgium, concluding their journey in the FIH Hockey Pro League (Men) 2024-25 here in Antwerp on Sunday.

Goals from Sukhjeet Singh (21', 35'), Amit Rohidas (36'), and Harmanpreet Singh (59') propelled India to this victory, finishing their campaign in eighth place, with a notable 14 points ahead of Ireland. Belgium's scores came from Arthur de Sloover (8'), Thibeau Stockbroekx (34'), and Hugo Labouchere (41').

Sukhjeet and Dilpreet Singh achieved a personal milestone, marking their 100th international caps.

Belgium wasted no time, applying pressure right from the start and attempting to exploit gaps in the Indian defense. Their strategy paid off quickly when Arthur de Sloover fired a stunning shot into the top right corner, putting Belgium ahead. This goal disrupted India's rhythm, which had shown promising attacking bursts prior.

India's first significant chance arose in the 20th minute with a penalty corner. With Harmanpreet Singh back on the pitch, spirits were high. A well-executed injection by Hardik was met with a powerful flick that was blocked, leading to a rapid counter by Belgium. However, Pathak made a key save to deny Belgium a 2-0 lead.

Just a minute later, India converted a sensational penalty corner, with Sukhjeet skillfully deflecting Harmanpreet's flick into the net, equalizing the score. As the second quarter approached its end, Abhishek nearly added another goal, only to miss narrowly.

After the ten-minute half-time break, Belgium struck again through Thibeau Stockbroekx in the 34th minute. India quickly responded, with Sukhjeet netting his second goal after a quick assist from Abhishek. Amit Rohidas then put India ahead 3-2 with a penalty corner goal in the 36th minute.

The match was filled with excitement, keeping fans on the edge of their seats. Belgium capitalized on their penalty corner opportunity, with Hugo Labouchere scoring his first international goal, leveling the match at 3-3.

In a frantic moment, India scrambled for a goal, with Shamsher Singh attempting to score, only for Belgium to successfully challenge the goal.

Entering the final quarter, India earned a penalty corner but failed to convert. Still, they pressed on in their quest for victory. With minutes left, a crucial video referral resulted in a penalty stroke for India. Despite protests from Sloover, a clear foul was evident, leading to Harmanpreet scoring and sealing a 4-3 win, thus concluding their campaign on a high note.

"We staged a commendable comeback today. We held confidence in every match. Although there was room for improvement, we rectified our mistakes and learned valuable lessons for the next edition," stated Sukhjeet Singh, who was named Player of the Match.