Breda (Netherlands): The Indian junior men's hockey team fought hard after a slow start but could not prevent a 4-5 defeat by local Dutch team Bredas Hockey Vereeniging Push in their third match of the ongoing Europe tour.
After a narrow 2-2 (4-2) win in the penalty shootout, India had lost 2-2 to the Belgian junior team in their previous match.
Captain Rohit (18th minute), Saurabh Anand Khushwaha (24th minute), Ankit Pal (32nd minute) and Arshdeep Singh (58th minute) gave the lead for India, but the team was unable to overcome the five-goal deficit on Thursday.
Bredze Hockey Vereeniging Push started the game aggressively, earning a penalty corner and scoring on it with just over a minute to go.
In the very next minute, the home team overpowered the Indian defense and scored another penalty corner goal.The Indian players resisted the early pressure and attempted to score, but failed as the Bredze Hockey Vereeniging push held on and finished the first quarter with a 2–0 lead.
Determined to take control of the game, India were awarded a penalty stroke as the second quarter began and captain Rohit stepped up to score from the spot.
The respite was short-lived as the Bredze Hockey Vereeniging push came back to earn another penalty corner and hit the Indian goal again.
In the second half, Saurabh Anand Khushwaha reduced the goal deficit by scoring a penalty corner.
A spectacular comeback looked likely as Ankit Pal kicked a field goal two minutes into the third quarter, but the Bredze Hockey Vereeniging push took control of the game and restored their lead in the 42nd minute to end the quarter 4–0. Eliminated by 3.Kindness.
The intensity went up a notch in the final quarter as India looked for breaks in the defense of the Bredze Hockey Vereeniging push. Arshdeep Singh hit the net in the 58th minute to make the score 4-4.
But Bredze Hockey Vereeniging Push did not give up and scored a goal in the last minute to win the match 5–4.
The Indian junior men's team will play its next match against Germany's Mönchengladbach on May 28.
After a narrow 2-2 (4-2) win in the penalty shootout, India had lost 2-2 to the Belgian junior team in their previous match.
Captain Rohit (18th minute), Saurabh Anand Khushwaha (24th minute), Ankit Pal (32nd minute) and Arshdeep Singh (58th minute) gave the lead for India, but the team was unable to overcome the five-goal deficit on Thursday.
Bredze Hockey Vereeniging Push started the game aggressively, earning a penalty corner and scoring on it with just over a minute to go.
In the very next minute, the home team overpowered the Indian defense and scored another penalty corner goal.The Indian players resisted the early pressure and attempted to score, but failed as the Bredze Hockey Vereeniging push held on and finished the first quarter with a 2–0 lead.
Determined to take control of the game, India were awarded a penalty stroke as the second quarter began and captain Rohit stepped up to score from the spot.
The respite was short-lived as the Bredze Hockey Vereeniging push came back to earn another penalty corner and hit the Indian goal again.
In the second half, Saurabh Anand Khushwaha reduced the goal deficit by scoring a penalty corner.
A spectacular comeback looked likely as Ankit Pal kicked a field goal two minutes into the third quarter, but the Bredze Hockey Vereeniging push took control of the game and restored their lead in the 42nd minute to end the quarter 4–0. Eliminated by 3.Kindness.
The intensity went up a notch in the final quarter as India looked for breaks in the defense of the Bredze Hockey Vereeniging push. Arshdeep Singh hit the net in the 58th minute to make the score 4-4.
But Bredze Hockey Vereeniging Push did not give up and scored a goal in the last minute to win the match 5–4.
The Indian junior men's team will play its next match against Germany's Mönchengladbach on May 28.
