The Indian males’s hockey group’s dream of coming into the Olympics final after 41-years remained unfulfilled as it misplaced 2-5 to world champions Belgium in the final-four stage but the facet is serene searching for a bronze in the Tokyo Games on Tuesday (August 3). Alexander Hendrickx (19th, 49th, 53rd minutes), the match’s top scheme getter, scored a hat-trick whereas Loick Luypaert (2nd minute) and John-John Dohmen (60th) moreover struck to hand the reigning silver-medallists their second successive entry into the final of the Olympics.
India’s needs came from the sticks of Harmanpreet Singh (seventh) and Mandeep Singh (eighth). India’s final appearance in the final of the Olympics came blueprint assist in 1980 Moscow Games, where they went on to grab their final of the eight gold medals.
The Indians had easiest themselves liable for Tuesday’s disappointment as Belgium’s all four needs came from penalty corners. The Indian defence was as soon as establish below relentless power by the Belgians as they secured as many as 14 penalty corners out of which they transformed four.
Belgium’s game thought was as soon as certain from the onset as they tried to enter the Indian circle and carry out penalty corners with Hendrickx and Luypaert of their ranks.
The ploy labored to perfection because the Indian defence wilted below power to concede the keep pieces. India too earned five penalty corners in the match but may maybe well maybe also make exercise of upright one.
The Indians serene own a chance to exact an elusive medal from the Olympics as they’ll function in the bronze medal match on Thursday in opposition to the losing group from the second semifinal between Australia and Germany later in the day.
Earlier, Hendrickx transformed off the third penalty nook in the 49th minute that the enviornment champions got in succession in the fourth quarter to attain his 13th scheme off the match. India now should always push forward and stage the game in the occasion that they dream of reaching the Tokyo Olympics gold medal match.
Belgium persevered to frustrate India of their Tokyo Olympics males’s hockey semifinal, with the bring together stage at 2-2 after the third quarter on Tuesday (August 3). India had a lot of alternatives in the game but own easiest managed to convert one out of the five penalty nook alternatives in the game. On the opposite end, Indian facet displayed some enormous defensive work thru Sumit and Amit Rohidas in opposition to the hockey World Champions. If the game stays stage at 2-2 after the fourth quarter, there’ll be a shoot-out to defend end the Tokyo Olympics hockey finalists.
(with PTI inputs)
