Clinical Belgium denies India its HWL moment
Belgium will play Australia in the Sunday final
Erratic India surrendered its historic moment – of not playing any elite FIH tournament final in the three decades – to Belgium which struck as early as fifth minute and hung on to it to till end to end the enormous enthusiasm the Indian entry into the semis have created.
Belgium displayed a clinical hockey with neat basics in place to overcome both the crowd and the eleven Indians on the turf.
Capitalizing on the early aggression, struck, the ball going between the legs of goalie PR Sreejesh, his closing legs a split second late.
Thereafter the Red Lions held on the concept of ball possession with impeccable degree of control.
Indians on the other hand somehow lost the plot, often seen dispossessed and directionless in moves.
Indians came out strongly in the third and fourth quarter, but their attack lacked sharp.
Belgium’s fortified defence did not yield.
In the dying moments India almost struck in a scramble, the scene even leading to a referral by India, but after a long watch the neutral umpire did not heed for a penalty corner.
Capitalizing on a yellow card to Belgium, India pulled out goalie and played V. Raghunath. This ten men attack created at lest half a dozen penetration into circle, but the Belgium defenders were cool and showed extreme caution in clearing the situation.
Neither side got any penalty corners.
The semifinal did not measure up to spectators delight. A boring kind of hockey, as seen in the early 90s with off side on was witnessed, which it seemed is injustice to the full stands.