India and Belgium advanced to the knockout stages following Argentina’s victory over New Zealand and Belgium’s commanding win against Australia in Pool B at the ongoing Paris Olympics.
India’s men’s hockey team edged closer to adding to the nation’s medal count with a decisive 2-0 win over Ireland on Tuesday.
India’s spot in the quarter-finals was assured after Argentina defeated New Zealand 2-0 later on Tuesday. This result temporarily put India at the top of Pool B. However, Belgium soon overtook India by netting six goals against Australia, winning 6-2, and also qualifying for the quarter-finals.
With this result, India is now second in the pool with seven points from three matches, while Belgium’s unbeaten run in the Paris Olympics places them at the top with nine points from three matches.
India kicked off their campaign with a thrilling 3-2 victory over New Zealand. Captain Harmanpreet Kaur salvaged a point with a late equalizer in their second game against Argentina.
In the match against Ireland, India started strongly, implementing a well-organized attack that immediately put Ireland under pressure. Within two minutes, India earned their first penalty corner, but Harmanpreet’s drag flick was blocked by an Irish defender. Despite this, India maintained control, using quick passes to sustain the pressure on Ireland.
The Indian team’s aggressive approach paid off when Gurjant Singh and Mandeep Singh combined to create a scoring opportunity, resulting in a penalty stroke after Mandeep was fouled inside the D.
Harmanpreet calmly converted the penalty stroke, giving India a deserved 1-0 lead in the 11th minute. The second quarter saw a similar pattern, with India dominating possession and continuously attacking.
This sustained pressure earned India three consecutive penalty corners. On the third attempt, Harmanpreet scored with a powerful drag-flick in the 19th minute, extending India’s lead to 2-0.
With a comfortable lead, India focused on maintaining possession to control the game, effectively keeping Ireland at bay and finishing the first half with a 2-0 advantage. India held on to their lead and sealed a 2-0 victory over Ireland.