The Netherlands team celebrates after defeating India to win the FIH Pro League title.
The Indian men's hockey team went down 1-2 as the Netherlands pocketed three crucial points to win the FIH Pro League. With 36 points, the Netherlands were crowned champions as India with 30 points finished third and Belgium took the second spot with 35 points.
India needed an outright win over the Netherlands to earn a shot at the title but that was not the case as the Dutch denied a valiant Indian attack a win in the second match of the tie.
On Saturday, the Indian team lost 1-4 to the Dutch in the shoot-out after both sides finished 2-2 in the regulation time. Meanwhile, the Netherlands won the title with still two games to go.
The Indians started on a strong note, taking the lead inside 30 seconds with a brilliant field goal by Abhishek.
Abhishek collected the ball in the right flank and dodged past four defenders with brilliant stick work to push the ball past Netherlands' second goalkeeper Mauritzs Visser.
The Indians put the Dutch defence under persistent pressure from the start and dominated the early share of exchanges. But the Netherlands forged their way into the game by levelling the scores in the seventh minute through a penalty corner conversion by Jip Janssen.
It was end-to-end hockey between the world No.3 Netherlands and world No.4 India, with both the teams matching each other stick for the stick.
The Netherlands were patient inside the India circle, and by doing so, secured another penalty corner in the 11th minute, which Indian goalkeeper PR Sreejesh kept at bay.
The Dutchman secured three more penalty corners but failed to breach the Indian defence. In the 16th minute, India secured a PC but Harmanpreet Singh's flick was saved by the Dutch custodian.
The hosts managed another PC soon but once again veteran Sreejesh came to India's rescue. Two minutes from halftime, India managed back-to-back penalty corners but the Dutchman defended stoutly.
The third quarter too produced enthralling hockey but both teams failed to score till the 45th minute when Jorrit Croon sounded the board from a set piece to hand the hosts a 2-1 lead.
Trailing by a goal, the Indians gave their all in the fourth and final quarter, and created numerous scoring chances in the form of penalty corners but failed to avail the opportunities.
In the 47th minute, Varun Kumar's flick from a penalty corner was saved by the Dutch keeper Visser.
India had their chances, but Visser was brilliant in front of the Netherlands goal, making numerous saves. Four minutes from the hooter, India secured a penalty corner, but once again wasted the chance to finish second best for the second consecutive day.
(Inputs PTI)
