When France tread the Kalinga turf, they don their giant-killing gear. On Wednesday, in their 2021 FIH Men’s Junior World Cup opener, it were hosts and defending champions India who were slain. The score 5-4. In 2018, at the FIH World Cup, they did Olympic champions Argentina in, 5-3, on the very turf.

The result now throws Pool B wide open. Poland sprung a minor coup earlier in the day beating Canada 1-0. The pressure is now on India when they take on Canada tomorrow. If France, win their next two matches, India will have to settle for second place and a potential match with Belgium in the quarterfinals, a repeat of the 2016 final.

But that’s assuming there are no more disasters in store for the home team who were shocked by two goals within seven minutes of play.

A hat-trick by Sanjay from penalty corners was the highlight of India’s repeated fightback in a match that France stole with fluency and cohesion.

From 0-2 down, India made it 2-2 on the dot of halftime. The French then grabbed the match by the scruff to lead 5-2 in the fourth quarter. Sanjay’s goals in the 57th and 58th minute made for a grandstand finish but there was no denying France a meritorious victory.

French captain Timothee Clement also netted three times (first, 23rd and 32nd minutes). Benjamin Marque (seventh) and Corentin Sellier (48th) also got on to the scoresheet for the winners.

Uttam Singh made it 1-2 in the 10th minute before Sanjay struck the first of three to level for India.

India captain Vivek Sagar Prasad spoke with composure despite the shocking defeat “We still have a chance,” he said. “We’ll try to learn from this (defeat). “We played well at the end and we’ll try to get the same sort of energy into the game far earlier in our next match,” Prasad, a member of the senior team as well, said.