World number one Belgium staged a comeback to defeat India 2-1 in their Pool B match at the Paris Olympics 2024.
Belgium beat Indian hockey team 2-1
India's sixth-ranked hockey team suffered a 1-2 defeat against world number one Belgium in their fourth Pool B match at the Paris Olympics. Abhishek opened the scoring for India in the 18th minute, capitalizing on a defensive error. However, goals from Thibeau Stockbroekx (33') and John-John Dohmen (44') secured the win for Belgium.
Belgium exerted significant pressure in the opening quarter, but India's goalkeeper, PR Sreejesh, maintained a clean sheet. The early defensive resilience allowed India to take the lead early in the second quarter through Abhishek's clinical finish.
Belgium's Comeback
Both India and Belgium had penalty corner opportunities following India's goal, but the Tokyo bronze medalists managed to maintain their lead.
Belgium, however, continued to dominate possession and eventually leveled the score through Thibeau Stockbroekx early in the third quarter. Florent van Aubel played a crucial role in setting up the goal.
The turning point came just before the end of the third quarter when Belgium took the lead. John-John Dohmen capitalized on a rebound after Sreejesh made an initial save, with India's defensive efforts proving insufficient.
Belgium Dominate Final Quarter
Belgium's defense stood firm in the final quarter, successfully defending against Indian attacks and preserving their one-goal lead until the final whistle. With this victory, Belgium secured their fourth consecutive win in the tournament.
The Indian men's hockey team currently holds the second position in Pool B with a total of seven points after four matches. In contrast, Belgium sits atop the group with a perfect record of four wins. Captained by Harmanpreet Singh, the Indian team kicked off their campaign with a 3-2 victory over New Zealand. However, they were held to a 1-1 draw by Argentina in their second match. The team bounced back with a 2-0 win over Ireland in their third match.
Their final Pool B match will be against world number four Australia, the Tokyo 2020 silver medalists, on Friday.
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