FIH Pro League: 'Our finishing was not very good,' India Captain Harmanpreet Singh Reflects Upon Defeat Against Belgium

Add as a preferred source on Google

The Indian Men’s Hockey Team suffered a humiliating 1-4 defeat against Belgium in their second match of the European leg of the FIH Hockey Pro League 2023/24 on Friday (May 24).

Abhishek (55’) netted the only goal for India, while Belgium's goals came from Felix Denayer (22’), Alexander Hendrickx (34’, 60’), and Cedric Charlier (49’).

How Belgium Defeated India

Early on, Belgium appeared to pose a greater threat, but they encountered a solid Indian defence that handled the pressure effectively. As the first quarter progressed, India gained momentum and began to dominate, forcing Belgium onto the defensive. Despite numerous attempts from both sides, the score remained 0-0 at the end of the quarter.

Both teams began the second quarter strongly, evenly contesting each other's moves early on. India secured a penalty corner within the opening three minutes but failed to capitalise as Harmanpreet's attempt was thwarted by the Belgian goalkeeper.

However, with eight minutes left in the quarter, Felix Denayer (22’) put Belgium ahead 1-0, seizing an opportunity in the box and slotting home from close range. Despite India's persistent efforts, they couldn't level the score before halftime.

India came out strong in the second half, but Belgium's defence remained resilient. Despite plenty of action in the cagey third quarter, it was Belgium who extended their lead to 2-0 with Alexander Hendrickx converting a penalty corner.

With just 15 minutes remaining, India picked up the pace, but it was Belgium who widened their lead to 3-0 with Cedric Charlier's impressive field goal in the 49th minute. Abhishek managed to score for India with five minutes left (55’). Belgium secured their victory with Alexander Hendrickx converting a penalty stroke in the final moments (60’), ending the match with a 4-1 win for Belgium.

Harmanpreet Singh Vows To Come Back Stronger

"The finishing was not very good for us. Belgium played very well, and we need to work on our defence, blocking, and man-to-man marking," captain Harmanpreet Singh said after the match. The Indian Men’s Hockey Team will face Belgium once more on May 25.

Harmanpreet isn't dejected with the poor show against Belgium, instead, he is taking every game as a learning curve in the build-up to the Paris Olympics. The skipper and his team are ready for the next game against the same opponent.

"I'm excited to play against Belgium again on Saturday. It's a good time to have a match before the Olympics. I think this is going to help us in the Olympics. We are looking forward to improving our game," Harmanpreet signed off.