FIH Pro League 2022-23: India suffers 2-3 defeat against Netherlands

India has 27 points in 15 matches, just one more than second-placed Great Britain which has three games in hand, and concludes its FIH Pro League campaign against Argentina on Sunday.

Indian men’s hockey team went down 2-3 to Netherlands in the FIH Pro League match in Eindhoven on Saturday. | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

India went down 2-3 to Netherlands in its penultimate match of the FIH Pro League 2022-23 in Eindhoven on Saturday.

India has 27 points in 15 matches, just one more than second-placed Great Britain which has three games in hand.

The Indian team started off the contest with more of the possession, looking to attack the Dutch in the early stages. The Netherlands had to dig deep to keep India from scoring even though Amit Rohidas almost converted a Penalty Corner. Soon after, the Dutch started to get their act going, and it was Duco Telgenkamp (sixth minute) who broke the deadlock when he poked it past PR Sreejesh at the far post. The Netherlands continued to attack after that, but PR Sreejesh made a couple of brilliant saves in the final minutes of the first quarter as the men in blue went into the first break, trailing 0-1.

Indian team responded with an equaliser early in the second quarter when Sanjay (17th minute) found the back of the net from close range. Moments later, both Abhishek and Mandeep Singh had a crack at goal, but the Dutch held on. Both sides continued to look for the next goal, and that produced some free-flowing hockey in the second half of the quarter. However, neither could break the deadlock and the teams went into the break with the scores locked at 1-1.

In the third quarter, Craig Fulton’s side kept up the intensity and looked for a goal in the early stages, but the Dutch managed to keep it out. The Dutch 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 Boris Burkhardt (40th minute) scoring past PR Sreejesh to make it 2-1. A couple of minutes later, the Dutch won a series of Penalty Corners, converting the third one as Tjep Hoedemakers (42nd minute) put his name on the scoresheet. At the break, Netherlands led India 3-1.

India started the final quarter with a bang, as Lalit played in Gurjant Singh (45th minute), who smashed it home to make it 3-2 before the first minute had ended. The visitors were eyeing an equaliser, and had the numerical advantage for a while but the Dutch held on.

India concludes its Pro League campaign against Argentina on Sunday.