FIH Men's Hockey Pro League 2023-24: India registers first win in Antwerp, ends mini-tournament with thrilling 5-4 win over Argentina
The Indian men's hockey team ended the Antwerp leg of the FIH Hockey Pro League with a thrilling 5-4 win over Argentina on Sunday, May 26.
Federico Monja got the Argentinians off to a perfect start but Araijeet Singh Hundal restored parity soon after. An opportunistic goal from Gurjant Singh helped India take the lead early in the second quarter before Nicolas Keenan leveled things up.
Harmanpreet Singh scored off a short corner just before half-time before adding a couple more off back-to-back penalty strokes. Tadeo Marcucci and Lucas Martinez got onto the scoresheet to ensure that Argentina did not go down without a fight.
The Argentinians shot into the lead in the third minute after Monja Federico beat Krishan Pathak with a ball that was angled toward him. Sumit was on hand to foil Martinez in the fifth minute as Argentina swarmed the Indian circle repeatedly.
Araijeet Singh Hundal scored an incredible goal from the edge of the circle to help India draw level in the seventh minute. Akashdeep Singh manufactured a short corner for India in the 14th minute but Nilakanta Sharma failed to latch onto the rebound off Amit Rohidas' drag flick.
Gurjant Singh tapped the ball in from close range off an assist from Sukhjeet Singh in the 18th minute to give India the lead.
Argentina won a short corner thanks to Nicolas Keenan in the 23rd minute but Amit Rohidas ran down the drag flick three times in a row while also conceding a penalty each time.
Keenan finally beat Pathak after getting hold of a rebound in the 24th minute.
Hundal was in the thick of the action as he won his side a short corner a minute before half-time. Harmanpreet's drag flick took a deflection off the first runner and made its way past goalkeeper Tomas Santiago.
The ball hit an Indian foot in the circle in the 43rd minute but Craig Fulton's team had a lucky reprieve as the video umpire ruled against a short corner.
The Indians earned a penalty stroke with just over ten minutes left for the end of regulation time and Harmanpreet made no mistake from the spot. An obstruction in the circle led to a second penalty stroke a couple of minutes later with Harmanpreet pulling off a hat-trick to give India a 5-2 lead.
Tadeo Marcucci and Lucas Martinez propelled the Argentinians back into the contest with goals in the 54th and 57th minute. But, it was India who emerged triumphant in the Antwerp Hockey Pro League thriller.
How do the teams stack up in the Men's Hockey Pro League points table?
The Netherlands are perched atop the Hockey Pro League points table with 26 points from 12 matches. Meanwhile, while India moved up to second place with 21 points from 12 games.
Australia are third with 20 points from eight matches, while Argentina have the same number of points having played 12 games.
Germany currently occupies the fifth place with 8 points but has a chance to build, having played just four matches thus far.
Two shock defeats for Belgium against Ireland in Antwerp spoiled the record for the Red Lions who have 8 points from as many games.
Spain have 7 points from eight games, while Ireland has 6 points having played 12 matches in the Hockey Pro League. Great Britain has 4 points from as many matches and are positioned ninth in the table.