fih pro league: India lose 1-2 in second match as Netherlands claim FIH Pro League men’s title

The Indian men’s hockey team’s FIH Pro League title hopes were dashed after a 1-2 loss to the Netherlands in the second match of the two-leg match here on Sunday. India lost 1-4 to the Dutch in a shoot-out on Saturday after both sides ended the rule 2-2 at the end of 60 minutes.

The Indians needed an outright victory over the Netherlands to have an outside chance of getting the tile, but that was not to be the case.

The Netherlands won the FIH Pro League in the men’s section with 35 points from 14 games, with two games to go.

Olympic champions Belgium finished second with 35 points from 16 matches, while India finished third with 30 points from 16 matches.

The Indians got off to a strong start with a brilliant field goal from Abhishek to take the lead within 30 seconds.

Abhishek collected the ball on the right flank and diddge four defenders with brilliant stickwork to push the ball past Netherlands goalkeeper Mauritz Visser.

Indians put down Dutch defense

Pressure from the start and dominated the early part of the exchanges.

But the Netherlands made their way into the game in the seventh minute by leveling the score via a penalty corner conversion by Zip Janssen.

It was an end-to-end hockey match between world number three Netherlands and world number four India, with both teams pitting each other for sticks.

Netherlands India were patient inside the circle and in doing so secured another penalty corner in the 11th minute, which was kept away by Indian goalkeeper PR Sreejesh.

The Dutchman secured three more penalty corners but failed to breach the Indian defence.

India secured a PC in the 16th minute but Harmanpreet Singh’s flick was saved by the Dutch custodian.

The hosts soon managed another PC but once again the experienced Sreejesh came to India’s rescue.

Two minutes after half time, India scored back-to-back penalty corners, but the Dutchman held on to the defense.

The third quarter also produced exciting hockey, but both teams failed to score until the 45th minute, when Jorit Kroon sounded off the board with a set piece to give the hosts a 2–1 lead.

Trailing by a goal, the Indians gave their all in the fourth and final quarter, creating as many goal-scoring opportunities as penalty corners, but failed to take advantage of the opportunities.

In the 47th minute, a penalty corner flick from Varun Kumar was saved by Dutch keeper Visser.

India had their chances, but Visser scored a brilliant performance in front of the Netherlands goal.

India secured a penalty corner in four minutes from a hooter, but once again missed the opportunity to put up their best performance for the second day in a row.

Originally published at Pen 18