The Indian women's hockey team suffered a heavy 1-5 defeat against Belgium in their latest FIH Pro League match, continuing their struggles in the European leg of the tournament. The match, held in Antwerp on Saturday, marked India's fifth consecutive defeat in this series, following losses to Australia and Argentina in London.
Despite an encouraging start, where Deepika scored in the sixth minute, India couldn't maintain their momentum. Belgium responded strongly, particularly after halftime, scoring five goals to dominate the match. Hélène Brasseur, Lucie Breyne, Ambre Ballenghien, and Charlotte Englebert were the goalscorers for Belgium, highlighting a comprehensive performance from the home side.
Belgium started the match aggressively, putting pressure on the Indian defense early on. Although the Indian goalkeeper, Savita, made a crucial save from a penalty corner, Belgium continued to push forward. India managed to counter, earning a penalty corner which Deepika successfully converted, giving India an early lead. However, this was a fleeting moment of success for the Indian team.
As the game progressed, Belgium intensified their pressure, securing multiple penalty corners. The Indian defense, which had initially held firm, began to crack under the constant pressure. Hélène Brasseur converted one of these penalty corners, leveling the score. From that point, Belgium took control of the match.
The final two quarters saw Belgium completely dominate, with the Indian defense struggling to contain the waves of attacks. Belgium earned a series of penalty corners, converting three of them to extend their lead. Lucie Breyne scored after Savita initially made a save, while Ambre Ballenghien and Charlotte Englebert also found the net, contributing to India's woes.
India's strategy to sit back and defend in the second half backfired, as Belgium capitalized on the opportunities, especially from penalty corners. The Indian team's inability to convert their own chances, including a missed penalty corner opportunity after halftime, further compounded their problems.
This loss leaves India in a difficult position in the FIH Pro League standings. With their hopes of directly qualifying for the World Cup dashed after six consecutive losses in the European leg, India will be aiming to bounce back in their upcoming matches against Belgium on Sunday and later against China in Berlin. The team needs to address their defensive vulnerabilities and improve their penalty corner conversion rate to finish the campaign on a positive note.
