Amstelveen: In a tightly contested clash at the Wagener Hockey Stadium, the Indian Men’s Hockey Team suffered a narrow 1–2 defeat against hosts Netherlands in their opening match of the Netherlands leg of the FIH Hockey Pro League 2024/25.
India took an early lead through Captain Harmanpreet Singh’s penalty corner strike in the 19th minute, but a resilient Dutch side responded through Thijs van Dam, who scored a brace (29’, 58’) to turn the match around and seal victory for the home team.
The visitors began the match with promise, displaying sharp ball movement and composure in possession despite a high press from the Netherlands. India came close to opening the scoring in the first quarter when Dilpreet Singh pounced on a turnover in the Dutch circle, only to be denied by goalkeeper Maurits Visser’s quick reflexes. Meanwhile, the Indian defence held steady to keep out an advancing Thierry Brinkman at the other end.
India’s breakthrough came in the second quarter after Dilpreet was fouled inside the circle, earning a penalty corner. Harmanpreet made no mistake, slotting in a low and powerful shot to put India ahead. However, the Dutch replied with intensity, and Thijs van Dam capitalized on a defensive lapse to level the scores in the 29th minute, sending the teams into halftime at 1–1.
The second half saw India trying to regain the upper hand with a fluid passing game, but their efforts were met with a solid Dutch defence that thwarted any significant threats. India attempted to bypass the midfield using aerial passes, but the strategy yielded little success as the Netherlands began asserting control.
With most of the possession in the final quarter, the Netherlands continued to press. Their persistence paid off in the 58th minute when Thijs van Dam scored his second goal with a slick first touch and clinical finish to hand the hosts a late lead.
Despite a spirited performance and flashes of attacking flair, India couldn’t find an equaliser in the dying minutes. The loss marks a challenging start to their Netherlands campaign in the ongoing Pro League season.
India will look to bounce back quickly as they face the Netherlands again on June 9 in their next fixture.
