Women’s FIH Pro League: India lose to Belgium 2-1

The Indian women’s hockey team lost to Belgium 2-1 in its FIH Pro League 2021-22 match at the Sportcentrum Wilrijkse Plein Stadium in Antwerp on Saturday.

Belgian captain Barbara Nelen (2’) and Ambre Ballenghien (34’) scored for the hosts while Lalremsiami (47’) pulled one back for India. Belgian midfielder Charlotte Englebert was declared man of the match.

Despite the loss, the FIH Pro League debutants India stayed in third place in the standings with 22 points from nine matches while Belgium climbed two places to fifth spot with 16 points from nine matches.

India’s loss also means that Argentina, who have 38 points from 14 matches, will take home their maiden FIH Pro League 2021-22 trophy. Defending champions Netherlands, meanwhile, are second with 29 points from 13 matches.  

Home team Belgium, who suffered a shock 2-1 defeat in the shoot-out to China in their last match, began strongly against India and took just two minutes to score the opening goal. 

The Indian team committed the numbers forward from the start but Belgium, through a series of precise passes, stitched together a counter-attacking move which was converted by captain Barbara Nelen.

Rani Rampal, back in the Indian starting lineup for the first time since Tokyo Olympics, then earned a penalty corner for India with cheeky play inside the Belgium D. The chance, however, went wide of the goal.

Both teams enjoyed good phases of possession at the start of the second quarter but the hosts grew in confidence as the match progressed. India could not penetrate the Belgian defence consistently and had only one penalty corner. Belgium, meanwhile, had earned four PCs in the first 30 minutes. 

At the end of the first half, Belgium had 56 per cent of possession and had seven shots on goal while India had one. In terms of circle penetrations, India made five compared to Belgium’s 17.

However, with just a goal down, India took calculated risks and tried playing with an attacking formation. Belgium’s pace, however, forced India to stay back. Belgium earned another penalty corner at the start of the third quarter but lacked finishing.

In the 34th minute, Ambre Ballenghien capitalised on the Belgian free-hit to take her side 2-0 up. The rest of the quarter was dominated by Belgium.

India translated their aggressive approach into circle penetrations in the final quarter. As India applied more pressure, a rare defensive error from Belgium in the defence fell to Lalremsiami, who kept her calm to bring India back into the contest in the 47th minute.

India’s comeback, however, proved too little as Belgium regrouped quickly to deny India any further inroads. 

India will play Belgium in their second FIH Pro League hockey match at the same venue on Sunday.