Antwerp: Their dream of booking a direct ticket to next year’s World Cup crushed after six consecutive losses in the European leg of Pro league, India are now hoping to conclude their campaign on a positive note with wins in their last two matches against Belgium.
The Indian men’s hockey team will take on world No.3 Belgium in consecutive matches here on Saturday and Sunday. After a good outing in the home leg earlier this year, the men entered the European leg with high hopes, but they had a horrendous outing instead. The losses meant India slipped from third to the eighth and penultimate position in the nine-team standings. The winner of the Pro League will automatically qualify for the World Cup, which will be jointly hosted by Belgium and Netherlands.
Against Netherlands, India lost 1-2 and 2-3, followed by defeats against Argentina (2-3, 1-2) and Australia (2-3, 2-3).
It was not that India played badly throughout the European leg, but what cost them dearly was their perennial habit of conceding late goals. The women have suffered four consecutive losses so far in London. They lost 2-3 and 1-2 against Australia.