Duco Telgenkamp, Tjep Hoedemakers and Tjhis van Dam were all on the score-sheet as Netherlands defeated India 3-1 (Hockey India)Duco Telgenkamp, Tjep Hoedemakers and Tjhis van Dam were all on the score-sheet as Netherlands defeated India 3-1 and put Harmanpreet and Co on the brink of elimination from the Hockey World Cup on Saturday. Captain Harmanpreet pulled one back for India but it wasn’t enough to put down the Dutch. India will now have to wait for the result of Argentina and England to see of they can stay alive. In case England win or the match ends in a draw, India will be out. In case Argentina win, India will hope Netherlands defeat England on the last match-day of this Pool and then defeat Argentina by a big margin.
India came into this round after defeating Pakistan and Wales but lost to England. Meanwhile, the Dutch team is undefeated in the tournament, defeating New Zealand 5-1, Argentina 3-1 and Japan 4-1 and is one of the most lethal attacking teams in the tournament.
Under the rules of the new format, since India have already lost to England, they will not face them again in this phase, but England carry three points forward, making victories in India’s remaining matches all the more important. The Netherlands also carried three points in the second round having defeated the Argentina in the first round.
FOLLOW IND vs NED HOCKEY WORLD CUP MATCH HIGHLIGHTS
Into the last 3 mins and India will need to go all out now. But the Dutch defenders are resolute as India fail to find a way through. Netherlands are keeping the ball pretty well as they remain calm and take the match away from India. AAAND THAT'S THAT!!! NED IS ON TOP OF THE TABLE!! INDIA'S SF hopes hang by a thread.
Under 7 mins left and Harmanpreet has gone off with what looks like a back issue. India will have to do without their skipper for the rest of the match. AAAND THE DUTCH TAKES ADVANTAGE AS Thjis van DAM scores and India are down 3-1.
India have a penalty corner now. Harmanpreet with a shot and it's another penalty corner!! Can they tale advantage?? YES!!!! IT'S HARMANPREET WHO LASHES IT PAST THE NED KEEPER!!! 1-2 NOW.
THAT'S ANOTHER ONE AND IT'S HOEDEMAKERS!!! Big lofted pass from the defence and Koen with a shot across goal and Hoedemakers with a delicate touch to take the ball into the India goal!!
India have a penalty corner and Rohidas' shot is deflected and gone over. India will refer though. Looks like it has hit a Dutch player's trailing foot. India get another PC. AAAND THAT'S HIT WITH SOME FORCE BUT THE GOALIE MEIJER SAVES IT!!!
Into the last and final quarter. India are in trouble. If they don't get anything from this match and if Argentina and England draw, they are out. All to play for in this half for Harmanpreet and Co.
Less than one min left in this quarter and the Netherlands have possession. A long shot attempted from the left but that goes wide. The buzzer sounds and India have 15 mins to rescue this.
India now get a penalty corner. Critical moment in the match as India's hopes hang by a thread. India are down one man as Lakra is green carded. Nothing off the PC but India have a long corner. Nothing comes off it.
AAAANDDDD THAT'S A GOAL!!! AND NETHERLANDS HAVE THE LEAD!! Telgenkamp with the crucial touch and that's in the India net!! It's a big goal in the context of the World Cup. If England win vs Argentina, India and Argentina are both out.
India have a referral now for a penalty corner. And it's been given. All eyes on Harmanpreet now. And his shot is blocked and India want another referral. Looks like it got the foot of the first runner. Looks like another PC for India. Given but a shot by Harmanpreet lashes past the post.
Back live again and Netherlands will have a long corner. They play it around their own half before trying a long pass which does not bear fruit.
Aaaand that's the buzzer as both teams had chances to go forward in the fag end of the quarter but gave away possession in the midfield. 30 more minutes coming up soon.
Hoedemakers gets a shot away after receiving brilliantly in the Indian box but the keeper Mohit is equal to it. Gets his feet together very quickly. There has been two crucial saves in both ends of the pitch now. Proper end to end stuff
Ohhhhh!!! India goes very very close as Manpreet's ball falls to Dilpreet with just the Dutch goalie to beat but the keeper Maijers makes a fine save blocking with his legs at precisely the right time.
Beautiful by Vivek to nutmeg a Dutch defender and go into the opposition half. he runs around the right and smashes in a cross but not one white shirt attacks it. Almost an opening goal for India.
Back to back penalty corners now as the Dutch players aren't relenting. Janssen with a shot which has gone behind. India can breathe again.
We are back underway for the second quarter now. The Dutch with another penalty corner as Sumit errs again. Janssen takes it but that's easily dealt with.
And that's that for the first quarter as the first 15 mins ends with the scores tied at 0-0. Both teams had their chances to take advantage but have let them slide.
Penalty corner for the Dutch and Manpreet saves the shot as India survive again and have taken back the possession. Can they do something with it? No, no they can't.
Nethelnads have a chance as Floris tries a reverse shot and that has hit the side netting. The spectators thought that they had scored but India survive.
Netherlands have found a bit of joy from the left side but they can't really trouble the India goal much as they defence is pretty compact. The visitors keeping the ball nicely here as they get another long corner. Dilpreet goes right nad left but can't put in a good ball before he is dispossessed.
India are piling on the pressure in the early going, pushing the Dutch back. The Netherlands know that if they can survive this early onslaught, they'll grow into the game eventually due to India dropping the intensity as the match goes on.
And we are underway and India with their usual fast start as Hardik slashes one towards the Dutch goal but it's deflected behind for a long corner. nothing comes of it though.
And we are ready for live action as the two sets of players make their way out into the pitch. National anthems will follow. India's first, followed by the Dutch's.
The most important battle when India face the Netherlands on Saturday may take place nowhere near either circle. Instead, it will be fought in the middle of the pitch, where Hardik Singh, Manpreet Singh and India’s other midfielders will come up against a Dutch side that has made controlling games almost an art form. (READ MIHIR VASAVDA'S PREVIEW)
India wins: 9
Netherlands wins: 13
Draws: 2
India
won 3-1 vs Wales
lost 2-4 vs England
won 5-3 vs Pakistan
Netherlands
won 5-1 vs New Zealand
won 3-1 vs Argentina
won 4-1 vs Japan
The Indian men's team will be facing their toughest test yet as they take on co-hosts Netherlands with almost negligible margin for error. A loss here will severely dent the Indian team's chances of qualifying for the semifinal. Can Harmanpreet and Co start off this phase off with a win? Follow our live blog to find out.
The most important battle when India face the Netherlands on Saturday may take place nowhere near either circle.
Instead, it will be fought in the middle of the pitch, where Hardik Singh, Manpreet Singh and India’s other midfielders will come up against a Dutch side that has made controlling games almost an art form.
The Netherlands have started this World Cup in characteristic fashion. They move the ball patiently, draw opponents out and then accelerate through the gaps that appear. Against New Zealand and Argentina, they spent long stretches playing on their terms, turning possession into territory and territory into pressure.
