The Indian men's hockey team faced another setback in the Europe leg of the FIH Pro League 2024-25. In a match played on June 9th, the hosts, Netherlands, secured a convincing 3-2 victory over India.
Sports News: The Indian men's hockey team suffered another blow in the European leg of the FIH Pro League 2024-25. On June 9th, Netherlands defeated India 3-2, marking India's second consecutive loss in this leg. Previously, on June 7th, India had also lost to the home team 1-2.
The story remained much the same—India had ample opportunities, particularly 9 penalty corners, but could only convert one into a goal. Weak finishing and a lax defense in the final moments cost India the match.
Aggressive Start, but Weak Finishing
The Indian team started the match with a fast and aggressive approach. In the sixth minute, Abhishek had a golden opportunity to score, but his shot went wide. Later, Shilanand Lakra also created a superb move, but it couldn't be converted into a goal. In the 18th minute, India earned their first penalty corner, but captain Harmanpreet Singh's shot was blocked by the Netherlands' b defense. Two minutes later, Abhishek, celebrating his 100th match, scored a brilliant goal from Lakra's pass, giving India a 1-0 lead.
India's lead didn't last long. In the 24th minute, Thijs van Dam of Netherlands scored a superb goal to level the score at 1-1. Then, in the third quarter, T. Hoddemakers scored in the 33rd minute, putting Netherlands ahead 2-1. During this period, India received six penalty corners in succession, but Harmanpreet Singh and Jugraj Singh failed to capitalize on these opportunities. This proved to be India's biggest weakness.
Jugraj Inspires Hope, Then the Dream Shatters
In the final quarter, India tried to regain their rhythm. In the 54th minute, they earned two more penalty corners. This time, Jugraj Singh scored, making it 2-2 and raising hopes of at least a draw for India. However, this joy was short-lived. In the 57th minute, Jip Janssen earned a penalty corner for Netherlands and converted it into a goal, giving his team a decisive 3-2 lead.
Throughout the match, India had 9 penalty corners, which are significant scoring opportunities for any team, but only scoring one highlights the team's weak striking unit. Even experienced drag-flickers like Harmanpreet had chances but failed to convert them.
India's Precarious Position in the Points Table
India had made a b start in the Bhubaneswar leg, accumulating 15 points from 8 matches to finish third. However, two consecutive defeats in the European leg have slightly hampered their chances of reaching the top. This league is also India's pathway to qualifying for the next World Cup, making every match a do-or-die affair.
India's next match is against Argentina on June 11th. This match is crucial for India as it could mark the beginning of their comeback on European soil. The team management needs to pay special attention to improving their penalty corner conversion strategy.
