New Delhi: India went down fighting to a superior Netherlands team in their opening match of the 10th FIH Junior Men's Hockey World Cup here at the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium on Friday.
The Dutch went into the lead as early as the 3rd minute with a field strike from Milan van Baal, but India managed to restore parity 10 minutes later with a penalty-corner conversion from defender Gurjinder Singh. However, Mark Rijkers restored the visitors' lead in the 25th minute and then got a cushion in the 28th when Milan scored his second goal to make it 3-1 at the break.
India got what they needed after half-time - an early goal through Akashdeep Singh (42nd) - to put the match on a tight rope. However, the Dutch held onto their slender lead for the last 28 minutes to take full three points from the Pool C fixture.
India looked busy and brisk in the first 15 minutes despite an early goal by the orange shirts but somehow lost steam to let two field goals in due to defensive lapses late during the first 35 minutes. After van Baal's close-range effort stunned the fancied hosts from close range, India upped the tempo to earn a PC the very next minute, but a weak push by Sukhmanjit Singh proved futile. But Gurjinder's rocket aerial flick in the 13th minute off India's second PC beat the Dutch 'keeper to his right to ram into he net.
India were then made to pay in the last 10 minutes of the first half thanks to holes in the defence. First Rijkers took advantage of the loose ball with a reverse-hit success and then Van Baal made it 3-1 on a rebound after Harjot Singh saved the first shot on goal. The Dutch could have extended their lead before the half-time buzzer but failed to score off a PC.
Trailing by two goals, India had no option but to increase the intensity, which they did, and it eventually yielded an early goal through Akashdeep's superb narrow-angle strike. He received an airborne pass from Ramandeep, and just when it looked he overlapped a bit too much to beat Dutch goalie Piet Noordam, the Indian forward unleashed a diving reverse flick to find the small gap to Noordam's right, which went into the goal.
India then launched continuous attacks but those remained futile for the last 28 minutes of the match.
Earlier in the day, Korea beat Canada 7-4 in the first match of Pool C. India are now placed third, ahead of Canada on goal difference. Top two teams from each pool qualify for the quarter-finals.
India will next play Canada in a must-win game on Saturday.
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