India lose to Netherlands but retain top spot in Pro League

The Indian men’s hockey team put up a spirited performance but lost 2-3 to hosts Netherlands in the FIH Pro League in Eindhoven on Saturday.

The goals for Netherlands came from the sticks of Duco Telgenkamp (7th), Boris Burkhardt (41st), and Tjep Hoedemakers (43rd) while Sanjay (18th) and Gurjant Singh (46th) sounded the board for the visitors.

India started with better possession, looking to attack as Netherlands had to dig deep to keep India from scoring. Amit Rohidas almost converted a penalty corner (PC) but soon the Dutch started to get their act going. Telgenkamp broke the deadlock when he poked it past PR Sreejesh at the far post. Netherlands continued to attack but Sreejesh made a couple of brilliant saves in the final minutes of the first quarter as India went into the first break trailing 0-1.

Indian fans were doing their best to motivate the players and the team responded with an equaliser early in the second quarter when Sanjay, playing only his sixth international, scored his first-ever international goal.

India kept up the intensity in the third quarter but the Dutch managed to keep them out. The hosts weathered the storm well and started to push India back a bit. With four minutes to go in the quarter, the Dutch stitched together a quick move from the right which saw Burkhardt score. A couple of minutes later, the Dutch won a series of PCs, converting the third as Hoedemakers made it 3-1.

India started the final quarter with a bang as Lalit played in Gurjant, who smashed it home to make it 2-3. India kept eyeing an equaliser but the Dutch held on.

India will next play Argentina on Sunday.

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