The Indian men’s hockey team will look to stage a comeback against Olympic champions Netherlands when they meet in the second fixture of the European leg of the FIH Pro League on Monday.
India fell to a narrow 1-2 defeat in their opening match on Saturday despite taking the initial lead. Captain Harmanpreet Singh found the net early with a penalty corner conversion, but the Dutch side recovered with two goals from Thijs van Dam, including the winner in the 58th minute.
India, who are fourth on the Pro League points table with 15 points, will be eyeing maximum returns in their remaining seven fixtures in a bid to secure a spot in next year’s World Cup.
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Reflecting on the defeat, India’s chief coach Craig Fulton said, “We did well in the first half but the third quarter wasn't as good. In the fourth quarter we did well again and were winning the ball, but we weren't getting any shots on goal.
“It was unfortunate to lose like that because I thought we could push for a draw. We want to push ourselves as hard as we can, especially against a team like the Netherlands,” he added.
India earlier played the home leg of the tournament in Bhubaneswar, where they registered five wins from eight games to collect 15 points. A strong performance in the European leg could prove vital for their campaign, as a top finish in the league offers a direct path to the 2026 World Cup.
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