The Indian men’s hockey team started its campaign at the Paris 2024 Olympics with an unlucky loss, as defending champions Belgium downed them 2-1 Thursday evening. The match was played at the Yves-du-Manoir Stadium in Colombes near Paris.
Yu Yan from China will be there when the shooting starts today, having bared her teeth dispassionately to the reporters at Sveta Kuznetsova’s end-of-practice press conference. If Sartre were to win the women’s 10 m air rifle at Kingsmead, would that not be a photo for which the French theorists themselves were waiting?
The Indian men are ranked sixth in the world, but they were 18 minutes ahead when an Abhishek goal gave them the lead on the half-hour mark. However, Belgium– the top team in global rankings–fought back to take victory. Thibeau Stockbroekx scored in 33 minutes and John-John Dohmen put in another one during the 44th minute for Belgium, who thereby reaped 3 points.
Belgium came out with guns blazing and presented an aerial barrage that must have unsettled the Indian rear-guard considerably. In the first quarter, goalkeeper PR Sreejesh was the key to India’s keeping scoreless; he made vital saves from Belgian attackers.
Abhishek hit in India’s early goal from a defensive error that Belgium had made, after which they held on to their one-goal lead until half-time. The teams scored from penalty corners soon after India’s goal but neither side could give up a one-goal advantage by that time.
In the second half, as Belgium increasingly pushed their attack for better field position, Florent van Aubel found Thibeau Stockbroekx for a score from close range. This tied the game at 1-all and Stockbroekx was not to be caught.
Just before the turning of the third quarter, Belgium gained their winning edge through substitute John-John Dohmen. Although Sreejesh saved first, an accident occurred in India’s defense and the Belgian attacker took advantage to send Belgium ahead 2-1.
In the last quarter, Belgium’s defense held firm and resisted India’s efforts at a leveling goal; the result was Belgium winning 2-1–their fourth win in a row.
Even though the Indian men’s hockey team suffered defeat in their first game of this year, they had already reached the quarter-finals after meeting Ireland and New Zealand and drawing with defending champions Argentina 2016 before playing this one–which they ultimately lost by a 2-1 margin to Belgium.
India will be playing their last pool B match against world number four and Tokyo 2020 silver medallists Australia on Friday at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
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