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Match 3 vs Belgium: Aggressive play by Indian Men’s Hockey Team ensured they beat World No.1 Belgium 2-1 in a thrilling encounter to keep up their winning form in the FIH Hockey Pro League 2020. It was goals by Mandeep Singh (2’) and Ramandeep Singh (46’) that saw India gain the winning points against the World Champions here at the iconic Kalinga Hockey Stadium in Bhubaneswar on an overcast Saturday evening. With this sensational victory, India consolidated their World Ranking from No.5 to World No.4 for the first time since the World Ranking system was introduced in 2003. Despite dominating with ball possession, making as many as 38 circle entries, taking 24 shots on goal and 12 PCs, the Belgian unit could not muster much success in the circle, thanks to stand-out performance by Indian goalkeepers PR Sreejesh and Krishan Pathak who lived up to the billing hooter-to-hooter, backing India’s defence by knocking off pretty much every opportunity created by the Belgian strikers. The victory is India’s 50th win against Belgium and the most memorable one as it has helped the team consolidate position of World no.4 pushing defending Olympic Champions Argentina to No.5. (Inputs from Hockey India)
India vs Belgium Highlights, FIH Pro League 2020: First half goals help Belgium beat India 3-2
India take on Belgium in Match 4 of the FIH Pro League 2020 at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar.
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Standings after the full time hooter.
Full time stats. On Saturday it was Belgium who dominated the circle penetrations and shots and today it is India. And the result has been flip on both instances.
Belgium win
HOOTER! Belgium get their first win over India in nine matches. It finishes 3-2 in Bhubaneswar with no goals coming in the second half. All three points going Belgium’s way and the teams stand 1-1 close of the home leg for India against Belgium in FIH Pro League 2020
Belgium not holding back
With clock ticking down and under a minute to go, India chase the equaliser while Belgium continue to run attacks after attacks. With 50 seconds left, India pull Pathak out and will hope for an equaliser with one more outfield player.
Green card for Meurmans
Augustin Meurmans with silly stuff. Hits the ball away with the free hit falling to India. Deserved green card there and he doesn’t argue the decision. Runs along to take a two minute breather. India have a man advantage
India denied!
Mandeep with a ball into the Belgium area, Manpreet, full stretch, moves it along the line and it comes to Gurjat who gets a shot on target but an all-important save denies an equaliser. Lovely hockey
Fourth quarter underway
Final 15 minutes for India to get an equaliser to force a shoot-out or for Belgium to add to their tally and make things safe. Crucial 15 minutes.
PC for India
Dangerous bit of hockey in the Belgium area and India have a penalty corner. Messed up royally from the Indian players. A back stick resulted in not the cleanest of grabs and ball falls to Belgium for a possible counter. PR Sreejesh makes himself big to deny a clear chance to make it four
India breaching left wing
Twice in a span of few seconds India have come darting down the left wing but been denied with a raised ball. Ramandeep first and Manpreet next. The first ball across the face of the goal rammed into a Belgium player’s knee who needs treatment
PC for India
Ramandeep is shoved aside and that earns India a penalty corner. The shot from the resulting set piece however isn’t the greatest. Amit Rohidas has his shot saved without much of a challenge.
India with great start
India with couple of attempts at the start of the second half but nothing materialises. A crucial stick deflects the ball away from a possible shot on target and then a shot goes flying without a touch inside
Halftime talk
Belgium coach McLeod: “Just a couple of goals would be good. Put us in clear. Have already seen India come back twice. Don’t want that again.”
India coach Reid: “We need to possess the ball and hold it. That has been the message at the break. And obviously take it off them!”
Half time: India 2-3 Belgium
At half time it is Belgium who lead 3-2 and it has been incredible hockey in the second quarter of the game. Two goals in the first quarter and three in the second. Belgium have taken the lead each time. Fantastic activity for the fans but the scoreline wouldn’t please them much. Let’s see how things turn out in the second half.
Great chance for India
India have a glorious chance to equalise once again. Two players each into the area and a guilt edge opportunity for Mandeep to turn and score. Vanasch stands firm while Hendrickx gets the crucial touch and then rides the danger away
Belgium score!
GOAL! Belgium are in front once again. That was a miserable pass from Harmanpreet. Desperate and extremely hopeful across the width of the pitch. The ball is intercepted from de Kerpel. He passes it for an unmarked Plennevaux to deflect past Krishan Pathak. India 2-3 Belgium
Chance for India
A great chance for India to take the lead. A beautiful run by Mandeep the length of the pitch and it should have resulted in something, at least a shot on target, but the final pass was missing the right player and Belgium defence ensure safety
India score!
GOAL! India are level once again. Amit Rohidas makes it 2-2 and we’re yet to have played two minutes in the second quarter. Frantic stuff. India won a penalty corner and after multiple go-es at the goal, including a guilt edge chance for Vivek, Amit Rohidas slots the ball into the corner. India 2-2 Belgium
Belgium score!
GOAL! Belgium have taken just over a minute to regain the lead. Gougnard with a low, flat ball into the India area and a brilliant touch from Maxime Plennevaux to deflect the ball into goal. Almost behind him and no look goal! India 1-2 Belgium
First quarter statistics
INDIA SOCRE!
GOAL! India score and are level with 8 seconds left in the first quarter. Surender Kumar with brilliant stick work to go down the line, past two Belgium players and Vivek Prasad bundles it home.
India denied!
India come close but unable to bang the back of the board. Harmanpreet with a well disguised ball down the centre of the Belgium goal but it doesn’t come down as expected for Vivek. Bit of an air shot from him and the keeper pushes the ball away from danger
PC for Belgium, GOAL!
This time it is Belgium who have a great start, India did yesterday. PR Sreejesh saves the twin efforts from the field activity but it results in a penalty corner. First chance and it results in a goal. Hendricx with a thundering shot into the corner and nothing Sreejesh could do. INDIA 0-1 BELGIUM
PUSHOFF!
Belgium get the game underway. They are in changed clothing today donning all-whites. India with their usual blue.
Pre-match talk from the coaches
India’s Graham Reid: “I think the penalty corner defence has been going well but today we want to stop Belgium creating those scoring chances. I think we need to get better at creating more opportunities for ourselves. And we need to beware the ‘injured lion’: we expect a reaction from them.”
Belgium’s Shane McLeod “We made enough chances so that was pleasing. When the opposition’s best players were the goalkeepers, then we were doing something right. But, overall our standard can lift and I think you will see from our guys a better performance today.”
India XI: PR Sreejesh, Harmanpreet, Surender, Manpreet, Birendra, Chinglensana, Vivek, Jarmanpreet, Rajkumar, Mandeep, Gurjant
Missed the game on Saturday?
Don’t worry we have you covered. You can see how things unfolded with our blog , a report to go through the nitty gritties or best of it all, Sundeep Misra presents the analysis .