India 3-6 Belgium Hockey Highlights, FIH Pro League 2024-25: IND’s Late Push In Vain As Hosts Win Nine-Goal Thriller

The India Vs Belgium, FIH Pro League 2024-25 ay 7:30 PM IST at the Sportcentrum Wilrijkse Plein-Antwerp.

The FIH Pro League, both men’s and women’s, will be telecast live on Star Sports 3, Star Sports Select 2 and Sports 18 HD.

FIH Pro League can be live streamed on JioHotstar app and website in India.

Their dream of booking a direct ticket to next year's World Cup crushed after six consecutive losses in the European leg of Pro league, India are now hoping to conclude their campaign on a positive note with wins in their last two matches against Belgium.

The Indian men's hockey team will take on world No.3 Belgium in consecutive matches on Saturday and Sunday.

After a good outing in the home leg earlier this year, the Indian men entered the European leg with high hopes, but they had a horrendous outing instead. Read more...

The India vs Belgium, FIH women's Pro League match is underway in Antwerp. India's Deepika scores from the penalty spot giving India the edge. The score is India 1-0 Belgium at half-time. Follow the match live here.

In the earlier match between India Women and Belgium Women, the visitors suffered a big 5-1 defeat, with Belgium scoring five times in the second half. Let’s see if the men’s side can fare better in the match, which starts at 7:30 PM IST.

Starting XI: Suraj Karkera, Jarmanpreet Singh, Amit Rohidas, Sanjay, Sumit, Rajinder Singh, Hardik Singh (c), Manpreet Singh, Abhishek, Sukhjeet Singh, Shilanand Lakra

Bench: Krishan Pathak, Jugraj Singh, Nilam Sanjeep Xess, Dilpreet Singh, Vivek Prasad, Rajkumar Pal, Mandeep Singh

Starting XI: Arthur van Doren (c), Thibeau Stockbroekx, Maxime Van Oost, Nicolas de Kerpel, Loic van Doren, Alexander Hendrickx, Roman Duvekot, Arthur de Sloover, Victor Wegnez, Tom Boon, Tobias Biekens

Bench: Simon Vandenbroucke, Tommy Willems, Guillaume Hellin, Victor Foubert, Nelson Onana, Hugo Labouchere, Thomas Crols

After a flurry of Penlaty corners for Belgium, they make it count in the third time of asking. Hendrickx's dragflick is saved by Karkera, but it bounces back off his body into the danger area, and van Doren puts it behind to give Belgium an early lead within just 20 seconds.

IND 0-1 BEL (1')

It’s all Belgium in the first quarter – five circle penetrations compared to none for India.. Abhishek is virtually uninvolved in the final third.

Wegnez saw a green card for a heavy challenge. India try to make the man advantage count with Abhishek lifting the ball from the left side of the D to find Rajinder, but the forward can’t get it across the face of the goal.

Rajinder gets a green card with 55 seconds to go, and India can’t get an equaliser in the first quarter. A lot of work to do for the visitors in the next 15 minutes.

IND 0-1 BEL (15')

Tom Boon is incredibly unselfish and passes the ball to Wegnez, whose shot at goal takes a big deflection off Amit Rohitdas and is somehow saved by Karkera. It hits the upright and comes back into play, and India somehow clear it.

IND 0-1 BEL (17’)

India are slowly growing in confidence, with Dilpreet and Jugraj trying to attack the Belgian defenders at every chance. They even earned their first PC of the game in the 20th minute, but nothing came of it.

Craig Fulton’s side are playing man-to-man at the moment, starving Belgian players of any kind of space to attack. What remains is for India to get that vital equaliser.

IND 0-1 BEL (25’)

India conceded again from a PC, and this time it’s Hendrickx who scores with a powerful dragflick that goes under a runner and then through Karkera’s leg. After soaking up India’s attacking pressure in the second quarter, Belgium double their lead.

IND 0-2 BEL (28’)

It’s half-time, and India are going two goals down at the break after Belgium took their chances at the very beginning and end of the two quarters. Craig Fulton’s men have a mountain to climb in the next 30 minutes.

IND 0-2 BEL (HT)

Sanjay gets a thwack on his right eye from the ball, and goes down in some pain. He receives treatment, and goes off the field to a warm applause from the Belgian crowd.

IND 0-2 BEL (34’)

It’s game on!! After India get a PC through a referral, Jugraj’s dragflick is saved by van Doren on the line, but it falls to Dilpreet on the right edge and he shoots through the goalkeeper’s feet to find the back of the net.

IND 1-2 BEL (36’)

Two goals in two minutes, and India are suddenly level! It was an ambitious ball into the box by Vivek, and Mandeep gets the faintest of touches to send it to the back of the net off a big deflection off van Doren. It’s cruel for Belgium, but India are well and truly back into the game.

IND 2-2 BEL (38’)

Tom Boone danced past a group of Indian defenders on the left side of the D, and cut it back for Roman Duvekot. The birthday boy finished it first time past the goalkeeper, and Belgium are in the lead again in the fourth quarter.

IND 2-3 BEL (49’)

Belgium gets the fourth goal, and it seems like the match is wrapped up. The goal was created by some terrific work by Foubert, who collects an aerial ball and passes it to Stockbroekx in the second post, and the unmarked attacker puts it in the back of the net.

IND 2-4 BEL (53’)

It’s all going Belgium’s way, and as van Doren does well to controls the ball under pressure from India, and then turns and hits a fierce reverse hit to find the right side of the net. Game, set, and match for the hosts.

IND 2-5 BEL (54’)

India earn a PC after a successful referral, and it falls to Amit Rohitdas. The defender hits a bullet flick, and it beats everyone and hits the back of the net. Karkera goes off, and India are playing with 11 outfield players at the moment.

IND 3-5 BEL (56’)

Calamity for India right at the very end, as Jarmanpreet slips as the final man at the back. The mistake allowed Belgium to steal the loose ball, and it was played to Boon, who put it in an empty net.

IND 3-6 BEL (59’)

It’s all over at Antwerp, and despite a brave fightback in the second half, India lose a seventh game in a row in their European leg.

IND 3-6 BEL (FT)