Bhubaneswar: Reigning World Champions Germany showcased their dominance with a commanding 4-1 victory over India in a high-intensity FIH Hockey Pro League 2024-25 (Men) match at the Kalinga Hockey Stadium on Tuesday. Goals from Florian Sperling (7′), Thies Prinz (14′), Michel Struthoff (48′), and Raphael Hartkopf (55′) sealed the win for Germany, while Gurjant Singh (13′) was the lone scorer for India.
With both teams sharing a fierce international rivalry, the match began at a rapid pace. India dominated possession in the opening minutes, but Germany capitalized on their first major opportunity in the 7th minute, with Eric Kleinlein providing a brilliant assist to Florian Sperling, who finished with precision.
India responded swiftly as Rajinder Singh, known for his exceptional playmaking skills, delivered a pinpoint cross-pass to Gurjant Singh, who made no mistake in equalizing in the 13th minute. However, Germany quickly regained the lead in the 14th minute, when Thies Prinz scored a dramatic goal—an effort that saw Manpreet Singh take a painful hit while attempting to defend.
India continued their aggressive approach in the second quarter, with the young forward line testing the German defense. They came close to an equalizer when Nilakanta Sharma set up Abhishek inside the circle, but the latter failed to control the pass. Another golden opportunity arose in the 20th minute, but Gurjant Singh’s attempt to deflect a pass from Rajinder narrowly missed the target.
At the other end, goalkeeper Suraj Karkera, who replaced Krishan Pathak in the second quarter, made a crucial save after India lost possession due to an ill-timed aerial ball in the 28th minute. A minute later, Dilpreet Singh attempted an unconventional shot on goal but couldn’t convert.
India fought hard in the third quarter, earning a penalty corner (PC) in the 38th minute, but in the absence of skipper Harmanpreet Singh, Jugraj Singh failed to execute the flick successfully. Despite a solid defensive effort from India, Germany struck again in the 48th minute. A powerful PC taken by Gonzalo Peillat was blocked by Amit Rohidas, but Michel Struthoff was quick to capitalize on the rebound, extending Germany’s lead to 3-1.
Desperate to mount a comeback, India pressed forward but struggled to break Germany’s defensive line. Their woes deepened in the 55th minute when Raphael Hartkopf found the net, sealing a 4-1 victory for Germany.
India will look to regroup and improve their finishing in the upcoming matches as they continue their Pro League campaign.
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