Rourkela (Odisha)[India], February 20 : The Indian Men's Hockey Team is showcasing an impressive performance at the FIH Hockey Pro League 2023/24, having secured victories in two out of their five games within regulation time. They displayed their resilience with shootout triumphs against formidable opponents, the Netherlands 2-2 (4-2 SO) and Spain 2-2 (8-7 SO), earning valuable bonus points. Their solitary defeat came at the hands of Australia.
India kicked off their campaign in Bhubaneswar with a convincing 4-1 victory over Spain, followed by a thrilling 2-2 (4-2) shootout win against the Netherlands, the top-ranked team in the world, where Hardik Singh secured the opening goal. Subsequently, India faced a setback with a 4-6 loss to Australia but bounced back with a 1-0 triumph over Ireland to conclude the Bhubaneswar leg on a high.
Moving to the Rourkela leg of the FIH Hockey Pro League 2023/24, India maintained the momentum by securing a 2-2 (8-7) shootout win against Spain in a closely contested match.
India are set to face the Netherlands in their next fixture in the reverse leg of the Pro League at the Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium on Wednesday. The Indian men's hockey team has emerged victorious against the Netherlands in their last two encounters. Their latest triumph occurred on February 11 during the Bhubaneswar leg of the FIH Hockey Pro League 2023/24. In that match, despite trailing 1-2, the Indian team staged a comeback, levelling the score and ultimately securing a 4-2 victory in the shootout.
Reflecting on team's performance against the Netherlands, Indian men's hockey team midfielder, Hardik Singh, said the team's performance in the first half fell short of expectations. "But we made a strong comeback in the second half, pushing the game to a shootout. We were confident about our chances from that point onwards, especially given that we have really good goalkeepers in our ranks."
"The confidence in the camp is quite high with the way we have been performing in back-to-back events and I am sure we will carry this momentum forward in the tournament," he concluded.
India will take on the Netherlands on February 21 at 19:30 IST.
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