Spirited India upset the applecart of higher ranked Belgium in the QuarteRfinal of the Hockey World League Finals, emerging successful in the tense sudden death. Earlier, India and Belgium shared six goals in the regulation time. In the ensued shoot out, Belgium missed thrice, but India too missed last two to tie the shoot out score 2-2. In the sudden death Harmanpreet Singh struck, while Indian goalie Akash Chikte blocked Belgium veteran Arthur van Doren’s try to give India the semifinal slot.
Like in the last edition at Raipur, India will be in the semis second time in a trot.
Belgium is Silver medallist of Rio Olympics where India finished much lower. However, India gave the ranking a damn today amidst packed stands, and took up the challenge in a confident way.
Hitherto all win Belgium faced its first defeat, while its first win for India in four matches, and the way it was achieved speak volume about the Indian spirit.
Similarly, winless Australia too posted its first win to enter the semis earlier.
After a barren half time, Gurjant Singh put India ahead (1-0) seconds after resumption, and then Harmanpreet Singh struck in the 35th minute (2-0) to give the full crowd many things to cheer about.
Belgium played a patient game against India’s all attack orientation, and got the dividends.
Loick Luyepert, with already six goals, struck a brace of consecutive penalty corners to even out the score in the space of seven minutes. Then came the thunder from Rupinder Pal, who played heart out today. But the Indian third goal achieved in the 46th minutes was also evened out, this time Amaury Keuster’s rebound goal in the 53rd minute did the trick.
It was anybody’s game at this juncture, both team going on frequent attacks. SV Sunil and Sumit missed out hard worked upfront thrusts while Akash Chikte who replaced brilliant Karkare, stood like a rock of Gibraltor. Then came the shoot out. The rest is history.
Two brilliant crosses into D, both attempted by SV Sunil in vain and two penalty corners for India which it could not make use marked the first half in which both teams were seen on even keel.
A Thomas Briel’s field goal at the stroke of tenth minute did not survive referral much to the chagrin of Belgium, and to the grin of India. India and Belgium showcased a brilliant hockey till the half time which ended goalless but not eventless.
SHOOT OUT SEQUENCE
BEL WEGNEZ Victor (Missed)
BEL van AUBEL Florent (Scored)
BEL BOCCARD Gauthier (Saved)
IND SINGH Harmanpreet (Missed)
BEL STOCKBROEKX (Missed)
IND UPADHYAY Lalit (Scored)
IND SINGH Rupinder Pal (Scored) after referral
BEL van DOREN Arthur (Scored).Score at this point 2 – 2
IND SUMIT Missed
IND SINGH Akashdeep Missed)
SUDDEN DEATH
SINGH Harmanpreet (SCORED)
BEL van DOREN Arthur (MISSED)
Opening note: Belgium takes on India with enormous dose of confidence having won all the three pool matches with comfortable margin, only team in Bhubneswar to do so. On the other hand, India doesnt have a win on its plate having lost two matches while drawing the opener against Australia. However, India showed brilliance in all three matches to be in the company of the world’s best. The quarterfinal therefore is expected to be a cracker, that too when the full stands of about 6000 fans rooting for the home side.
In the last FIVE encounters, India has only one win.
The stat is given below
Lost at Rio 1-3
Lost at Dusseldorf 3-Nation 1-2
defeat at Dusseldor 3-Nation 3-2
Lost 0-1 at Boom in Test Series
Lost 1-3 at Boom in Test Series