India 5-4 Argentina HIGHLIGHTS, FIH Pro League hockey: Harmanpreet hat-trick helps Men in Blue win high-scoring thriller

India moves up to second in the points table with 21 points in 12 games. It has four more games to play this season - two each against Great Britain and Germany - in London from June 1 to 9.

Final minute of the match. Argentina is playing with an extra player instead of a goalkeeper. India tries to run down the clock and it managed to do so. India beats Argentina 5-4!!!!!!

Superb tackle from Abhishek to clear the ball away but the Argentinians continue to push for an equaliser.

Sensational aerial ball from Della Torre. Martinez controls it brilliantly inside the shooting circle and then hits it through Sreejesh’s legs at the near post. India’s lead reduced to one goal.

Jugraj loses possession and allows Argentina to go for a quick counter-attack. With a little over five minutes still to go, Argentina can still make a comeback here.

A minute later, Argentina makes it 3-5. Sreejesh made a good save initially after a shot came from the left but the rebound, not cleared by the Indians, eventually goes past the goalie and Marcucci puts the ball into the back of the net for his first-ever senior international goal. India challenges the call, saying Argentina had committed a foul in the build-up but it is not successful.

Della Torre finds Sanjay’s foot and Argentina wins a PC. However, the shot is blocked.

Accidental clash between Hardik and Argentine skipper Matias Rey near the centre-line. Rey felt the impact and could not get up for some time. 

Foul from behind on Araijeet by Monja inside the shooting circle and India gets another Penalty Stroke. Harmanpreet steps up again and finds the top-right corner. It is a hat-trick for the Indian skipper!!!

Argentina has no option but to attack more and more which allows India to find more spaces in its defence.

PC for India out of nowhere and it is skipper Harmanpreet who has won it. Harmanpreet with the drag flick which is saved but Lucas Martinez illegally stops a shot on target which results in India getting a Penalty Stroke. Argentina challenges the call unsuccessfully and loses its referral. Harmanpreet takes the stroke and slots it into the bottom-right corner while Santiago anticipates a shot towards the other side. India has a two-goal lead now!!!!

Lalit makes a mistake near the center-line but recovers quickly to retake possession.

Series of carefully constructed passes along the right flank by India before pushing one inside the circle. Abhishek takes a shot but it is off-target.

Final quarter underway. Can Argentina restore parity again?

End of third quarter. No goals in this one but both teams had chances. Worrying signs for India as Akashdeep has an ice pack on his left hamstring.

Video referral used by Argentina, Replays show that the deflection from Harmanpreet’s stick led to ball rising dangerously inside the Indian shooting circle. However, the official says she can’t figure out whose body was hit by the ball. Free hit for Argentina and it keeps its referral. No PC.

A series of superb aerial passes from the Indians and it is Gurjant who takes the ball inside the shooting circle. Lalit with the shot but it is off-target!!

Moments later, a counter-attack from Argentina forced Sreejesh, who has replaced Krishan in goal, to make his first save of the match.

Pass down the right flank from Tadeo Marcucci for Lucas Toscani but the ball has just a bit too much in it and it goes out of play.

Incredible steal from Sukhjeet on the right flank before passing it to Araijeet in the middle. Araijeet passes it to Abhishek on the left who takes the ball inside the shooting circle and eventually wins a PC for India. Hardik with the injection, Amit Rohidas’ shot is blocked, Hardik hits the rebound towards the bottom-left corner but an Argentine defender gets his stick in the way to deflect it behind for safety.

Lovely composure shown by Jugraj while being under pressure from the Argentine frontline. Calmly took the ball out of their own half with a bit of help from Hardik.

What an opportunity for Abhishek!!! Totally unmarked in the shooting circle with basically the goalie to beat but he misses the target while going for a powerful hit.

Argentina with the push back to play from left to right.

An exciting first half ends with India leading 3-2. This game is far from over for the South Americans. Stay tuned for the second half!

Erroneous pass from Della Torre allows Araijeet to make a run down the right flank and eventually win a PC for India. Hardik injects, Harmanpreet with the drag flick and the deflection off the first rusher beats goalie Tomas Santiago to find the bottom-right corner. India takes the lead again!!!

Keenan receives the ball inside the shooting circle with his back to the goal but Jarmanpreet defends well to avoid any harm.

Argentina enjoying lots of possession now after that equaliser. 

Nicolas Keenan wins a PC for Argentina. India still down to 10-men. Amit Rohidas blocks the first attempt. Another PC. Followed by another. Followed by another. Amit Rohidas defending like a wall. Keenan injects, Amit Rohidas blocks Maico Casella’s shot but the ball somehow goes back to Keenan who hits it past Krishan Pathak. Argentina equalises!!!

Della Torre looks to find his way towards the Indian shooting circle from the right but Harmanpreet steals the ball.

Counter-attack from Argentina down the left flank. However, Indians get back in position just in time to get the defensive structure in shape. Manpreet receives a green card and he is out for the next two minutes.

Brilliantly crafted move down the left flank by the Indians before the circle penetration to find Sukhjeet. Sukhjeet passes it to Abhishek who puts it across for an easy tap-in for Gurjant.

Patient play at the back by the Indians. Argentinians happy to sit back instead of going for high press.

And that’s the end of an entertaining first quarter. Monja scored early for Argentina but Araijeet found the equaliser four minutes later, his second goal in as many games.

Penalty Corner for India as Akashdeep finds an Argentine foot inside the circle. Hardik injects, Amit Rohidas’ drag flick blocked by the first rusher, Nilakanta dives and hits the rebound but it goes wide.

Lovely aerial pass from Harmanpreet from the right flank and he does find Jarmanpreet inside the shooting circle but Jarmanpreet fails to control the ball and it goes out of play.

Foul on Lalit near the Argentine shooting circle. Free hit to India. 

Both teams looking to be aggressive. This could turn out to be a very high-scoring game.

Absolutely fantastic strike from Araijeet. Gurjant carried the ball inside the shooting circle before finding Araijeet who somehow found a way through the Argentine defence and hit the ball through the legs of goalie. Two goals in two games for the young Indian!!!

Timely challenge by Sumit on Lucas Martinez who only had the goalkeeper to beat to double Argentina’s lead.

India tries to recover from the early setback and put pressure on the Argentine backline with the high press.

Fantastic goal for the South Americans. Aerial ball from Nicolas della Torre finds Bautista Capurro inside the shooting circle. Capurro puts it across to Federico Monja at the near post who deflects it past Krishan Pathak to open Argentina’s account!!!

India loses possession courtesy of a misplaced pass from Jugraj.

India with the push back to start things off. India plays from left to right in the first half.

Live visuals from Antwerp. The two teams step onto the pitch. Indian players in white jerseys while Argentina in dark blue jerseys. Time for the national anthems.

India - Jarmanpreet, Abhishek, Manpreet, Hardik, Krishan Pathak (GK), Harmanpreet (c), Lalit, Sumit, Raj Kumar, Jugraj, Sukhjeet

Argentina - Santiago (GK), Catan, Casella, Toscani, Della Torre, Tarazona, Monja, Rey (c), Mazzilli, Capurro, Minadeo

This is how the points system works in FIH Pro League:-

3 - Points for an outright win

1 - One point for a draw 

1+1 - Bonus point for winning a drawn match in the shootout

0 - No points for the losing side

Played: 34

Argentina: 13

India: 19

Draws: 2

India faces Argentina in its fourth match of the European leg of the FIH Pro League 2023-24 season. This is the last match in Antwerp, Belgium for the Men in Blue as they play their remaining games in London.

It has not been easy going for the Indian men. They somehow managed to beat Argentina 5-4 in the shootout after a 2-2 draw in regulation time on Wednesday. They lost 4-1 to Belgium on Thursday. Harmanpreet Singh’s side played better on Saturday and managed a 2-2 draw in normal time but lost 3-1 in the shootout.

After 11 games, Argentina is third in the points table with 20 points while India is fourth with 18 points.

The FIH Men’s Pro League match between India and Argentina is set to begin at 11PM IST. The match will be telecast on Sports18 while the live streaming will be available on Jio Cinema.