The Indian men's hockey team's struggles in the FIH Pro League 2024-25 continued on Saturday, June 14, 2025, as they suffered a 3-2 defeat against Australia. This loss, which occurred at the Sportcentrum Wilrijkse Plein in Antwerp, Belgium, marks their sixth consecutive defeat in the tournament. Despite a promising start and a two-goal lead, India couldn't hold off a determined Australian comeback.
India started the match strongly, with Abhishek scoring twice (8', 35') to give his team a comfortable lead. Manpreet Singh's perfect pass from the midfield set up Abhishek for the opening goal, as he skillfully beat the defender to find the net. Sukhjeet Singh's clever assist led to Abhishek's second goal, further solidifying India's advantage. However, Australia, currently ranked fifth in the world, showcased their resilience in the latter stages of the game.
Australia began their comeback in the third quarter, with Nathan Ephraums scoring in the 42nd minute. The final quarter saw Australia intensify their attack, earning a series of penalty corners. Joel Rintala converted one of these penalty corners in the 56th minute to equalize, and Tom Craig scored the winning goal in the 60th minute, also from a penalty corner, sealing a heartbreaking defeat for India.
The absence of captain Harmanpreet Singh due to injury was felt by the Indian team. Despite this, the team displayed great intent and motivation in the first half. Goalkeeper Suraj Karkera made several important saves, denying Australia from a penalty corner in the 11th minute and stopping Joel Rintala from close range in the 19th minute. However, the Australian attack proved too strong in the end.
This loss unofficially ends India's chances of finishing in the top three or qualifying for the FIH World Cup 2026 via the Pro League. After 14 matches, India has dropped to eighth position in the FIH Pro League standings, just one spot above relegation.
India will face Australia again on Sunday in their next FIH Pro League 2024-25 match. Following that, they will have almost a week before their final two matches of the season against Belgium. The team will be hoping to regroup, address their mistakes, and finish the season on a positive note.
