Hockey World Cup highlights: India out of semis contention after 3-5 loss

It was a game that India needed to win and by a big margin to keep their semi-final hopes alive after two successive defeats in the previous games.

India vs Argentina LiveIndia vs Argentina Live: IND take on ARG in the Hockey World Cup. (Hockey India)

India are out of the semi-final contention after a 5-3 defeat to Argentina in their final Pool E match of the FIH Hockey World Cup 2026. India scored two goals in the last three minutes of the game but it was not enough. For India, Sukhjeet Singh scored twice while Hardik Singh scored a penalty stroke with barely seconds left for the full-time hooter.

It was a game that India needed to win and by a big margin to keep their semi-final hopes alive after two successive defeats in the previous games.

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But India conceded a goal in 41 seconds of the game starting with Joaquin Toscani scoring. Then, Argentina doubled their lead in the 6th minute with Nicholas Della Torre scoring from a penalty corner. Sukhjeet managed to pull a goal back before the first quarter ended. In the second minute of the third quarter, Tomas Domene scored Argentina’s third goal and then scored his second goal seconds before the third quarter ended to make it 4-1! In the final quarter, Joaquin Toscani’s brother Lucas got into the act, scoring his second goal at the tournament to give Argentina a 5-1 lead.

India had come into the game with a 1-3 defeat against defending champions and hosts Netherlands.

Scroll down for live updates from the India vs Argentina clash at the Hockey World Cup

Live Updates
Aug 24, 2026 08:00 PM IST
India vs Argentina, Hockey World Cup Live: FULL-TIME

India are out of semi-final contention after a 3-5 loss to Argentina in the final Group E game! They scored two goals at the death, but the lead of Argentina was too massive to claw back!

here are the stats from the game

Aug 24, 2026 07:57 PM IST
India vs Argentina, Hockey World Cup Live: GOAL!

Hardik Singh scores India's 3rd goal from a penalty stroke with 36 seconds left on the clock! Not the best attempt, but it sneaks between the two feet of the Argentine goalkeeper!

Domene gets a green card for dissent so Argentina will be 10 men for the final two minutes.

4th quarter: IND 3-5 ARG

Aug 24, 2026 07:54 PM IST
India vs Argentina, Hockey World Cup Live: GOAL!

Two minutes, 10 seconds left in the game and India score their second goal. Mandeep Singh thwacks the ball into the circle, and Sukhjeet Singh scores his second goal of the night by deflecting the ball past the keeper!

4th quarter: IND 2-5 ARG

Aug 24, 2026 07:49 PM IST
India vs Argentina, Hockey World Cup Live: GOAL!

Lucas Toscani joins his brother Joaquin Toscani in scoring against India today! Argentina have a 5-1 lead now!

Lucas Toscani scores his 2nd goal at this World Cup. He finds himself with the ball in the circle with four Indian defenders surrounding him (plus the goalkeeper) and blocking a pass to the sole teammate that's near the post. But Toscani runs to the left to create space before slapping the ball with a reverse stick past the keeper. The ball flew into the goal!

Argentina have their fifth goal! And England will be watching this nervously ahead of their game against the Netherlands later today!

Aug 24, 2026 07:40 PM IST
India vs Argentina, Hockey World Cup Live: GOAL!

Tomas Domene started the third quarter by scoring inside two minutes after half-time. He ends the third quarter with his second goal just 20 seconds before Q3 ends.

Domene scores his 8th goal at this World Cup. Argentina won a penalty stroke after an infringement in the circle. And Domene slots the ball past the keeper with an impeccable, laser-guided finish! The Indian keeper made three saves in a row just before that stroke was awarded. But that's just how sport is sometimes: cruel! And right after the goal is scored, India have a chance thansk to a goof up by the Argentine keeper. But India cannot score!

Argentina lead 4-1 against India at the end of the third quarter!

Aug 24, 2026 07:24 PM IST
India vs Argentina, Hockey World Cup Live: Chance!

Dilpreet almost scores India's second goal! He gets the ball a few metres away from the Argentina goal after a move from the left flank. The ball has too much pace for Dilpreet to control. But with his back to the goal, he redirects it goalwards, and it's only a few inches wide!

3rd quarter: IND 1-3 ARG

Aug 24, 2026 07:19 PM IST
India vs Argentina, Hockey World Cup Live: GOAL!

Argentina start the third quarter like they ended the first quarter, with attack after attack on the Indian citadel! And Tomas Domene finally gives them a third goal in the second minute of Q3! A fierce reserve stick shot that sneaks past the keeper's right leg into the goal1

Tomas Domene scores his seventh goal at this World Cup. He banged in 21 goals in the Pro League this season.

3rd quarter: IND 1-3 ARG

Aug 24, 2026 07:02 PM IST
India vs Argentina, Hockey World Cup Live: HALF-TIME !

A sedate second quarter by the standards that were set in the first quarter, which saw end-to-end breathless hockey! No goals in Q2 after three goals in Q1.

At half-time, India trail 2-1 against Argentina.

Aug 24, 2026 06:56 PM IST
India vs Argentina, Hockey World Cup Live: Chance!

An Indian midfielder goes through a hazy run through the heart of the pitch before releasing Dilpreet into acres of space. Unfortunately the pass is a little heavy and defender Della Torre comes to the ball and mops up. that could have been a great chance if the ball was a little lighter!

2nd quarter: IND 1-2 ARG

Aug 24, 2026 06:50 PM IST
India vs Argentina, Hockey World Cup Live: Start of Q2!

Second quarter starts, and Fulton has asked the Indians to switch from zone defence to man-to-man marking. After five minutes are gone in the second quarter, we have no goals yet. Slightly less breathless hockey so far in this second quarter compared to that first quarter!

Aug 24, 2026 06:45 PM IST
India vs Argentina, Hockey World Cup Live: END OF Q1!

Argentina almost signed off from that quarter with a third goal after another defensive error. A shot from a Argentina forward flew wide from the post right as the hooter went off!

Insane, breathless quarter of hockey here!

India 1-2 Argentina after first quarter

Aug 24, 2026 06:40 PM IST
India vs Argentina, Hockey World Cup Live: GOAL!

India pull one back! Sukhjeet thunders his shot past the Argentina keeper in the ninth minute of the game! What a goal that comes against the run of play.

1st quarter: IND 1-2 ARG

Aug 24, 2026 06:39 PM IST
India vs Argentina, Hockey World Cup Live: GOAL!

India concede another goal with nine minutes still left in the first quarter! Oh dear! Once again, India give away a cheap penalty corner. And this time Argentina are clinical, with the drag flick is slotted between the keeper and the man on the left post!

Nicholas Della Torre is the goalscorer

1st quarter: IND 0-2 ARG

Aug 24, 2026 06:32 PM IST
India vs Argentina, Hockey World Cup Live: SAVE!

India cannot catch a break here! Minutes after conceding a goal, India are under pressure again as Argentina earn a penalty corner. The ball almost sneaks in for Argentina's second after Mohit has saved the original drag flick. But captain Harmanpreet Singh clears the ball from the line!

1st quarter: IND 0-1 ARG

Aug 24, 2026 06:28 PM IST
India vs Argentina, Hockey World Cup Live: GOAL

ARGENTINA SCORE INSIDE A MINUTE!

It's Joaquin Toscani who scoops the ball from the left of the goal past Mohit. And now the mountain that India had to climb is already grown a few kilometers. India were lacklustre in defence, not marking players.

1st quarter: IND 0-1 ARG

Aug 24, 2026 06:25 PM IST
India vs Argentina, Hockey World Cup Live: here we go!

National anthems done! And the Indian team, in saffron jerseys, and Argentina take their starting positions. A loud stadium welcomes them. here we go! Pushback!

Aug 24, 2026 06:20 PM IST
India vs Argentina, Hockey World Cup Live: Fulton speaks

India coach Craig Fulton, speaking before the Argentina game, says: "(We are looking at an) Improvement from the Dutch game. We did not convert chances we created against the Dutch."

Aug 24, 2026 06:19 PM IST
India vs Argentina, Hockey World Cup Live: ARG coach speaks

"Big match. We are ready. Guys look ready. We will fight till the end. Expecting a really intense match, India need to go for the point, I hope it will be a close match. Small details will make the difference," says Argentina coach before the India game. "We will try and push them to play a game they don't like."

Aug 24, 2026 06:15 PM IST
India vs Argentina, Hockey World Cup Live: Permutations and combination

For India to finish among the top two and reach the semi-finals, they need a significant win against Argentina.

A three-goal victory would take India’s goal difference to -1 and leave Argentina at -3, with both teams on three points. In that scenario, England would have to lose to the Netherlands by at least two goals, which will take their goal difference to -2. India would then finish ahead of both Argentina and England on goal difference, despite all three teams being level on three points.

If India beat Argentina by four goals, any defeat for England against the Netherlands would be enough to send India through. However, an England defeat is essential, as a draw would take them to four points and put them beyond India’s reach.

Aug 24, 2026 06:11 PM IST
HOLA

Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the India vs Argentina game from the Hockey World Cup where India are battling to stay alive in the tournament. With zero points, even a simple win over Argentina is unlikely to cut it for them today. they will need help from the other group game between England and the Netherlands.

What Indian men’s hockey team must learn from PV Sindhu — be ruthless

India's players huddle before the World Cup Field Hockey pool D match between India and Pakistan in Amstelveen, Netherlands, Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Patrick Post)

The 5 am sessions at the Gopichand academy are a stuff of legend. PV Sindhu knows.

When she trained full-time under Pullela Gopichand, the coach identified a flaw that had little to do with technique. Sindhu had the shots, the reach and the fitness. What she lacked, Gopichand felt, was an edge. She was too nice on court.

So, he turned those pre-dawn sessions into an exercise in provocation. Sparring partners were told to come at her hard — attack, shout, needle her, do whatever it took to get under her skin. Sindhu had to fight back. Show aggression. Scream between points. Stop apologising for being ruthless.

At first, she broke down. Eventually, she changed. That transformation helped turn Sindhu from a player who kept knocking on the door to one who broke it down — and became world champion.

The Indian men’s hockey team could do with a few lessons from those 5 am sessions.

Time and again, India have paid the price for being too soft. This World Cup has exposed that weakness again.

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