Wavre, Aug 29 (IANS) India signed off from the FIH Hockey World Cup 2026 with an eighth-place finish after losing to hosts Belgium 3-4 in the shootout in the 7th-8th place classification match at the Belfius Hockey Arena in Wavre on Friday. The regulation period ended 3-3 after India’s last-minute goal to force a shootout to decide the winner.
Harmanpreet Singh finished the tournament with eight goals, joint top of the scoring charts with Argentina’s Domene, with one day of competition remaining.
India opened the scoring through Abhishek in the sixth minute, while Belgium responded with two goals in quick succession in the second quarter, as Roman Duvekot and Hugo Labouchere putting the hosts 2-1 ahead.
Harmanpreet restored parity immediately after half-time with a penalty-corner drag-flick. Belgium managed to regain the lead in the fourth quarter through Nicolas de Kerpel. But India earned a penalty corner with just 26 seconds remaining, and Harmanpreet made no mistake to force the match into a shootout.
The shootout ultimately belonged to Belgium. Harmanpreet and Sukhjeet Singh were denied by Vincent Vanasch, while Abhishek converted India’s final attempt. Tom Boon, Arthur de Sloover, and Alexander Hendrickx (penalty stroke) scored before Roman Duvekot converted the decisive attempt despite Indian goalkeeper Mohith HS contesting with a referral. The goal stood, handing Belgium a 4-3 shootout victory.
At the start of the match, Belgium went in with an aggressive full-press and entered the Indian circle inside the opening minute, but India dealt comfortably with the early threat.
India gradually found their footing and took the lead in the sixth minute. Manpreet Singh created the opening, finding Abhishek at a tight angle. The forward unleashed a powerful push that Vanasch could only pad away into his own goal. Belgium immediately responded by winning a penalty corner, but Suraj Karkera stood firm against Hendrickx’s flick.
The Belgian pressure intensified, with Jugraj Singh producing a timely intervention near the Indian post and Nelson Onana narrowly missing with a diving deflection. India were then reduced to 10 men when Harmanpreet received a yellow card after India were found to have an extra player on the pitch.
Belgium used the numerical advantage to pile on the pressure. A video referral resulted in a penalty corner after the ball rose off Jugraj’s stick, but Karkera produced another excellent save from Hendrickx. The Indian goalkeeper then denied the Belgian drag-flicker again from the retaken set-piece.
Harmanpreet returned from the suspension chair early in the second quarter, and India soon earned their first penalty corner after a successful video referral. Harmanpreet’s flick struck the rusher’s foot, and the subsequent retake was blocked by the Belgian defence.
Belgium then turned the match around. In the 22nd minute, Duvekot created space after receiving a cross in front of goal, wrong-footed Hardik Singh and Sanjay, and beat goalkeeper Mohith to make it 1-1. Barely a minute later, Belgium earned another penalty corner and Labouchere converted to give the hosts 2-1 lead.
Belgium continued to dominate proceedings, repeatedly threatening the Indian goal. Another penalty corner was defended, while Mohith was called upon to make a save with his kickers. India survived further pressure, but Belgium remained firmly in control at half-time, leading 2-1.
India responded immediately after the interval. Rajinder Singh helped create a penalty corner and Harmanpreet unleashed a drag-flick that beat Vanasch to make it 2-2. Belgium challenged the legitimacy of the goal, but the video review found no infringement and India’s equaliser stood.
The momentum swung back towards Belgium. Hendrickx appeared to restore their lead from a penalty corner, but India successfully referred the decision and the goal was ruled out for height.
The third quarter ended level, but Belgium regained the initiative early in the final period. Manpreet was struck in the face by a close-range Labouchere attempt and had to leave the field with a bloody injury. Soon afterwards, Belgium took advantage of an attacking situation to score. The ball rose, struck an Indian defender and fell to de Kerpel, whose hit bounced off the turf and into the net beyond Mohith’s reach.
Belgium appeared to have done enough to secure the win as India struggled to find a way through a packed defence. Vanasch then produced an important save from Abhishek’s reverse hit in the 57th minute.
With less than three minutes remaining, India removed Karkera and went with an additional outfield player. The gamble paid off at the very end. India won a penalty corner with 26 seconds remaining, and Harmanpreet stepped up to deliver once more, beating Vanasch and taking the contest to a shootout.
Belgium held their nerve in the shootout to finish seventh, while India settled for eighth. For Harmanpreet, the tournament ended with a personal milestone of eight goals, but for India, the result underlined the missed opportunities that ultimately kept them out of the fight for a place in the semi-finals earlier in the tournament.
–IANS
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