Antwerp:The Indian men’s hockey team finished fourth in the FIH Hockey Pro League 2022-23 which ended here on Wednesday night with Spain overcoming a young side put up by World Champions Germany in the final league encounter.
Spain, who had beaten Germany in their earlier encounter, finished fifth with 27 points in 16 matches, three behind India, who had ended their camp a few weeks back at Eindhoven.
On Wednesday, Spain had to come from behind three times to finally get the better of an ambitious young German side 4-3 as the curtain came down on the 9-team FIH Hockey Pro League season.
Just like their match three days ago, it was once again a very young German side that took to the pitch to take on the Spanish, a total of just 28 caps between them. Within the first minute, however, Germany earned a penalty corner and Paul Glander drilled it past the keeper’s left for his first senior international goal.
Midway through the opening quarter, the players were forced to take cover from a passing thunderstorm but were soon back in action. Spain found the equaliser in the second period. Germany were back ahead soon but Spain scored thrice to eventually win the match.
It was a season of two halves for India, who led the league till a few weeks ago before eventual champions the Netherlands and Great Britain surged past them to take the first two spots. India ended their campaign on June 11 with a 2-1 win against Argentina in their 16th and last match of the 2022-23 season for men played in mini-clusters involving three or four teams.
The Netherlands (35 points from 16 matches) saw off challengers Great Britain (32 points) to successfully defend their crown. Belgium, with 30 points, finished above India in the table courtesy of having more wins to their name (10 vs India’s eight).
Starting under chief coach Graham Reid, India played the first leg of the season at home, putting on an impressive display, winning five, drawing two and losing just a single match. India’s solitary defeat in their home leg was a 3-2 loss against Spain in Bhubaneswar.
The second leg of the season in Europe was a different ball game altogether for the team now coached by Craig Fulton.
The away leg, played in London and Eindhoven, however, didn’t prove as fruitful. India were leading the Pro League points table going into the European leg of their fixtures, lost ground after managing just three wins, four defeats and one draw from the eight away games.
If their first half of the season had impressive wins against world champions Germany, Commonwealth Games gold medallist Australia and New Zealand, in the second half India could manage only Argentina (2) and Belgium (1) while they lost both their matches against eventual champions Netherlands.
India ended their campaign with a 2-1 win against Rio Olympics gold medallist Argentina, but what hampered their narrow 2-3 defeat to the Netherlands, which allowed the Oranje and Belgium to catch up with them? The Dutch went past the Indians to eventually win the title while Belgium failed to keep up the momentum as they lost a chance of finishing higher because of their 2-4 and 1-6 defeats to the Netherlands at Antwerp.
Final Standings:
1. Netherlands 35 pts
2. Great Britain 32
3. Belgium 30
4. India 30
5. Spain 27
6. Germany 22
7. Australia 19
8. Argentina 18
9. New Zealand 3
(IANS)
