India Women's Hockey Team Lose 1-5 Against Belgium In FIH Pro League

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It was team's fifth consecutive defeat in a row at the the European leg of the tournament having lost two matches each to Australia and Argentina in London.
The Indian women's hockey team's nightmarish run in the FIH Pro League continued with a 1-5 defeat against Belgium on Saturday.
It was the team's fifth consecutive defeat in the European leg of the tournament, having lost twice each to Australia and Argentina in London.
On Saturday, India took the lead through Deepika (6th minute) before Belgium turned things around after half-time, scoring five goals through Hélène Brasseur (37th, 55th), Lucie Breyne (41st), Ambre Ballenghien (54th), and Charlotte Englebert (58th).
Belgium started on the offensive and dominated early exchanges with repeated raids into the Indian circle, but the visitors defended well.
The hosts had the first scoring chance in the form of a penalty corner, but India goalkeeper Savita made a fine save.
After the early onslaught, the Indians regrouped and made a comeback with a penalty corner, where Deepika scored with a powerful low flick through the legs of Belgian goalkeeper Elena Sotgiu in the sixth minute.
India controlled the ball in the midfield thereafter but couldn't create any more chances.
Belgium pressed hard on the Indian defence in the second quarter, securing two penalty corners in the 19th and 21st minutes, but the Indian defence stood tall on both occasions.
India had their chances, and in the 23rd minute, skipper Salima Tete earned the second penalty corner for her team but failed to capitalise on it.
India had just one real chance after the change of ends with their fourth penalty corner but squandered the opportunity.
Thereafter, it was all Belgium as the play mostly stayed inside the Indian half with the hosts pressing hard for goals.
India's strategy to sit back and defend backfired as Belgium earned three back-to-back penalty corners in the 37th minute, the last of which was converted by Hélène Brasseur with a backhand shot.
Belgium continued to earn penalty corners, and Lucie Breyne dived to get her stick on the ball, guiding it into the net after it was saved by Savita.
A minute later, Belgium had another penalty corner but wasted the opportunity.
The Indian defence looked clueless in the last two quarters against Belgium's onslaught, conceding penalty corners in heaps, and from three such set pieces, Ballenghien, Brasseur, and Englebert scored to the cheers of the home crowd.
The Indian women will take on Belgium again in the return leg match on Sunday.
(With inputs from PTI)
First Published:
June 21, 2025, 18:58 IST

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