Rotterdam, June 14 (IANS) The Indian Men’s Hockey Team suffered a narrow 2-3 loss against the Netherlands at Hockey Club Rotterdam on Sunday. Dilpreet Singh (10’) and Sukhjeet Singh (33’) scored for India, while Miles Bukkens (3’), Koen Bijen (23’) and Tijmen Reyenga (40’) found the back of the net for the Dutch.

The hosts began the game on the front foot, controlling possession as they looked to make early inroads. They piled on the pressure with four penalty corners in quick succession and drew first blood as Miles Bukkens (3’) fired an upright reverse finish past the Indian goalkeeper to give the Netherlands the lead.

Shilanand Lakra nearly got India back on level terms soon after, as he hit the post in the 8th minute. The visitors eventually found the equaliser courtesy of Dilpreet Singh (10’), after a sensational long pass from Harmanpreet Singh allowed the attacker to fire his shot past the Dutch goalkeeper from a narrow angle.

With the lion’s share of possession in the second quarter, the Netherlands created chances with regularity but couldn’t find a way past Suraj Karkera. As India played on the counterattack, Dilpreet Singh had the opportunity to double his tally but was denied by the Dutch goalkeeper. The hosts eventually got back in front as Koen Bijen (23’) found the back of the net with a first-time strike to give his side a 2-1 lead at halftime.

India began the second half by stringing together neat passes to control the tempo as they grew into the game. The visitors earned their first penalty corner of the match and made it count with a clever set-piece routine that was finished off by Sukhjeet Singh (33’), levelling the score at 2-2. The Dutch responded with a penalty corner variation of their own as Tijmen Reyenga (40’) rifled his effort past the goalkeeper to help his side regain the lead.

Chasing a one-goal deficit, India looked more positive in the final quarter as they pushed the Netherlands back into their own half. The hosts had to defend in numbers as India continued to search for the equaliser through penalty corners. In the end, though, the Netherlands held firm to secure a 3-2 victory.

India will face Germany in their next match, scheduled on June 17.

–IANS

hs/