FIH Pro League: Indian males’s hockey crew concedes late function to lose 1-2 to Belgium

London: India conceded a late function to lose 1-2 in opposition to Olympic champions Belgium in a keenly-contested FIH Men’s Hockey Pro League match on Friday.

All the targets inside the match acquired right here by means of penalty corners.

It was world no 2 Belgium who took the lead inside the 18th minute by means of Thibeau Stockbroekx sooner than India equalised by means of Mandeep Singh inside the twenty fifth minute.

But the Indian defence crumbled inside the dying minutes of the match as they conceded a few penalty corners, one in every of which was remodeled by Nelson Onana (sixtieth minute).

The match was even-stevens till the last word hooter with every the teams matching each other.

India obtained the first likelihood inside the fifth minute nevertheless Hardik Singh’s effort from prime of the circle was saved by an agile Belgium goalkeeper Loic van Doren alongside along with his extended left hand.

Seconds from the first quarter Belgium earned a penalty nook nevertheless it was defended successfully by the Indian backline.
Belgium secured back-to-back penalty corners inside the 18th minute and Stockbroekx broke the deadlock from the second likelihood, deflecting in Loïck Luypaert’s feed after India goalkeeper PR Sreejesh made a double save.

It took India seven minutes to draw parity by means of an opportunist Mandeep who tapped home from a rebound after skipper Harmanpreet Singh’s flick from a penalty nook was saved by the Belgian defence.

Two minutes into the third quarter Belgium secured one different set piece nevertheless didn’t utilise it.

Harmanpreet’s flick from a penalty nook minutes later was saved by van Doren.

In the forty fifth minute, Belgium secured one different penalty nook nevertheless the Indians defended in numbers.

Four minutes into the last word quarter, Belgium earned one different set piece and this time Sreejesh acquired right here to India’s rescue.

India too had a few good potentialities to take the lead nevertheless Sukhjeet Singh and Gurjant Singh’s efforts have been saved by the Belgian custodian.

The Indian crumbled beneath Belgium’s relentless pressure inside the final minute of the game and conceded back-to-back penalty corners, the second of which was put into function by Onana from a rebound after Sreejesh made the preliminary save.

India will deal with hosts Great Britain of their second match of the Europe leg of the Pro League proper right here on Saturday