Belgium completed a clean sweep over India in the Rourkela leg of the FIH Men’s Pro League 2025–26 with a 4-2 victory at the Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium on Saturday.
Having won the earlier encounter 3-1, the visitors once again imposed themselves early, with Alexander Hendrickx scoring twice (14’, 17’), while Hugo Labouchere (11’) and Arthur de Sloover (15’) also found the net. India responded through Aditya Lalage (24’) and captain Harmanpreet Singh (37’), but a damaging first-half spell ultimately proved decisive.
Belgium began with authority, pressing high and forcing India into hurried clearances. The hosts briefly thought they had opened the scoring in the seventh minute, but the effort was ruled out. That moment was quickly overshadowed by Belgium’s clinical penalty-corner routine.
In the 11th minute, Hugo Labouchere converted the visitors’ first penalty corner to break the deadlock. Three minutes later, Alexander Hendrickx doubled the lead with a powerful drag-flick that left goalkeeper Suraj Karkera with little chance. Belgium’s execution from set-pieces was sharp and deliberate, reflecting a clear tactical focus.
India struggled to cope with the wave of pressure. In the closing seconds of the first quarter, Belgium earned another penalty corner and executed a clever variation. A sequence of short passes inside the circle allowed Arthur de Sloover to slot home, extending the lead to 3-0.
Hendrickx Extends the Margin
Belgium carried their momentum into the second quarter. In the 17th minute, Hendrickx struck again from a penalty corner, his drag-flick precise and authoritative to make it 4-0. At that stage, the contest appeared beyond India’s reach.
However, the hosts showed resilience. Abhishek sparked the revival in the 24th minute with an incisive run into the circle. Though Loic Van Doren made the initial save, Aditya Lalage reacted quickest to tuck in the rebound, reducing the deficit to 4-1.
Belgium continued to threaten through penalty corners, earning a fifth before halftime, but failed to convert. India, though trailing heavily, had stemmed the flow of goals and begun to regain territorial balance.
Second-Half Response from India
The third quarter reflected a far more competitive exchange. India tightened defensively and disrupted Belgium’s rhythm. In the 36th minute, they successfully cleared another Belgian penalty corner before launching a counterattack that resulted in their own set-piece opportunity. Captain Harmanpreet Singh stepped up in the 37th minute and delivered a precise drag-flick into the net, cutting the deficit to 4-2. It was his first goal of the 2025–26 campaign and injected renewed belief into the Indian side.
The remainder of the third quarter saw end-to-end hockey. Karkera produced key saves to deny Belgium further from penalty corners, while Van Doren responded with crucial stops at the other end, including a sharp save from Harmanpreet during India’s second penalty corner.
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India entered the final quarter with urgency, pressing higher up the field and committing numbers forward. An early opportunity nearly reduced the margin to one goal, but Van Doren’s reflexes again kept Belgium ahead.
Belgium, meanwhile, managed the closing stages with composure. They adopted a more controlled, possession-oriented approach, slowing the tempo and forcing India to chase. Indian goalkeeper Pawan, introduced late, made a notable double save in the 56th minute to keep the contest alive.
Despite sustained Indian pressure in the final minutes, Belgium’s defensive structure held firm. The visitors’ first-half efficiency ultimately proved the difference, as they secured a second consecutive win over India in the Rourkela leg.
For India, the match reflected a tale of two halves. Defensive vulnerabilities and penalty-corner concessions in the opening quarter placed them under severe strain. Yet, the improved defensive discipline and attacking intent in the second half offered positives to build upon.
India will conclude their Rourkela campaign against Argentina on Sunday evening, seeking to close the home leg on a stronger note.
