The Indian men’s hockey team concluded their South Africa tour on a disappointing note, suffering a 1-5 defeat against the Netherlands on Sunday. Abhishek (39’) secured the sole goal for India, while the Netherlands, the world’s top-ranked team, showcased their prowess with goals from Jip Janssen (10’, 28’), Duco Telgenkamp (16’), Tjep Hoedemakers (21’), and Koen Bijen (35’).
The match unfolded with an early advantage for the Netherlands, as Janssen found the net in the 10th minute, establishing a lead. Despite India’s persistent attacks, they couldn’t bridge the gap by the end of the first quarter.
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Telgenkamp (16’) extended the Netherlands’ lead at the beginning of the second quarter, followed by Hoedemakers (21’) adding a third goal, creating more pressure on India. Janssen (28’) struck again late in the second quarter, and the Dutch side entered halftime with a commanding 4-0 lead.
Although India sought early goals in the second half, Bijen (35’) secured another goal for the Netherlands. Abhishek (39’) managed to pull one back for India in the third quarter, ending it with India trailing 1-5. Despite India’s urgency in the final 15 minutes, the Netherlands’ defence successfully thwarted any attempts at a comeback.
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