India Falls Just Short in Thrilling 2-3 Loss to Netherlands in FIH Pro League Clash

The Indian men’s hockey team fell narrowly short in a high-octane FIH Hockey Pro League encounter, losing 2-3 to hosts Netherlands at the Wagener Hockey Stadium in Amstelveen on Monday. Despite goals from Abhishek and Jugraj Singh, India could not overcome the Dutch, who capitalised on key moments through Thijs van Dam, Tjep Hoedemakers, and Jip Janssen.

India started brightly, dictating possession and creating early chances. In the sixth minute, Abhishek nearly opened the scoring with a powerful effort from inside the D that flashed just wide. The Dutch, initially passive, shifted gears with a counter-attacking approach, but India’s defence stayed composed, ensuring the opening quarter ended goalless.

The breakthrough came in the 20th minute when Abhishek, celebrating his 100th international cap, latched onto a well-weighted pass from Shilanand Lakra and finished clinically to give India a 1-0 lead. But the joy was short-lived. Just four minutes later, Dutch captain Thierry Brinkman weaved through the Indian defence before setting up Thijs van Dam, who calmly equalised to make it 1-1 at halftime.

The momentum shifted in the third quarter as the Netherlands pressed higher up the field. Their aggressive tactics bore fruit when Floris Wortelboer whipped in a cross that found Tjep Hoedemakers. His weak shot slipped past goalkeeper Krishan Bahadur Pathak, handing the hosts a 2-1 advantage.

India responded with urgency, switching to a counter-attacking style and earning a series of penalty corners. However, Dutch goalkeeper Maurits Visser and a resilient defence kept the visitors at bay.

The final quarter brought a renewed push from India. Their persistence was rewarded in the 54th minute when Jugraj Singh smashed in a penalty corner to make it 2-2. The goal reignited hopes of a late Indian winner, and those hopes nearly materialised when Lalit Kumar Upadhyay went one-on-one with Visser, only to be denied by the keeper’s sharp reflexes.

The Netherlands struck the decisive blow in the 57th minute through a well-executed penalty corner, with Jip Janssen powering it home to seal the victory. Despite India’s all-out effort in the final minutes, the Dutch defence held firm to preserve the lead.

With this loss, India remains fourth in the Pro League standings, with 15 points from 10 matches. The team will look to bounce back when it faces Argentina on June 11.