The Indian Junior Men’s Hockey Team produced a performance of grit and composure to defeat Belgium 2–2 (4–3 SO) in a pulsating quarterfinal at the FIH Hockey Men’s Junior World Cup Tamil Nadu 2025 in Chennai on Thursday.
In front of a vocal home crowd, India held their nerve in a tense shootout to book a semifinal showdown against seven-time champions Germany. Goalkeeper Princedeep Singh emerged as the standout performer, delivering a match-winning display both during regulation time and in the shootout. His crucial saves under pressure earned him the Player of the Match accolade and played a decisive role in keeping India’s World Cup dreams alive.
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Belgium began the contest with confidence and structure, asserting control early and pushing India onto the back foot. Their aggression paid off in the 13th minute, when Gaspard Cornez-Massant found the net with a well-taken field goal to give Belgium the lead.
The European side continued to apply pressure through the second quarter, setting up a disciplined defensive block that limited India’s attacking opportunities. Despite India’s possession spells, clear-cut chances were hard to come by as Belgium’s defensive unit closed lanes efficiently and forced India into wide areas.
India returned after the half-time break with renewed urgency, increasing their tempo and pressing higher up the field. Belgium, meanwhile, won consecutive penalty corners in the third quarter, moments that could easily have shifted the match decisively. However, Princedeep Singh stood firm, making a series of outstanding saves that kept India in contention and drew loud applause from the Egmore crowd.
The persistence paid dividends in the 45th minute when India finally found a breakthrough. Captain Rohit stepped up with a sensational drag-flick to level the score at 1–1, injecting fresh belief into the Indian lineup and energising the stadium.
Just three minutes later, India capitalised again. Sharda Nand Tiwari converted a penalty corner in the 48th minute, putting India 2–1 ahead and completing a swift turnaround. For a brief period, India looked in complete control, managing possession intelligently and keeping Belgium at arm’s length.
Late Drama and Shootout Tension
The celebrations were cut short late in the match as Belgium mounted one final push. Their efforts were rewarded in the 59th minute, when Nathan Rogge struck the equaliser, forcing the quarterfinal into a shootout.
What followed was a contest of nerves. Princedeep Singh once again took centre stage, producing timely saves reminiscent of his coach, former Indian senior team goalkeeper PR Sreejesh. His interventions repeatedly swung momentum in India’s favour during the shootout.
At the other end, Sharda Nand Tiwari held his nerve with ruthless efficiency, scoring three penalty strokes to keep India ahead. Ankit Pal then stepped up to convert the decisive attempt, sealing a 4–3 shootout victory and triggering jubilant celebrations across the stands.
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Reflecting on his performance, Princedeep acknowledged the influence of his mentor. “I have learnt a lot from Sreejesh. Watching him and learning from him has given me confidence. It was a sensational match and the crowd support in Chennai has been incredible,” he said after the match.
His calm presence, especially during Belgium’s penalty corner opportunities in regulation time, proved just as valuable as his heroics in the shootout.
With the win, India advance to the semifinals, where they will face Germany on 7 December 2025. The clash promises to be a stern test against one of the most successful nations in junior hockey history.
For now, India can savour a hard-fought victory built on patience, resilience, and belief. Against Belgium, the Junior Colts showed they can absorb pressure, strike when it matters, and hold their nerve on the biggest stage qualities that will be essential as they chase a place in the final.
