Indian men, women make contrasting starts to FIH Pro League campaign

Deepika is overjoyed after scoring the second goal for India against England in a FIH Hockey Pro League match in Bhubaneswar on Saturday.
| Photo Credit: BISWARANJAN ROUT

The Indian men and women made contrasting starts to their FIH Pro League campaigns with the women winning a tough opener 3-2 against England and the men going down 3-1 to Spain in their first game of the competition at the Kalinga Stadium here on Saturday.

While the women made a tentative start, impressing in patches and often letting down their guard to walk away with their first three points, the men failed to get past a resolute Spanish defence to lose in a repeat of the 2024 Olympics bronze medal match as Max Caldas’ boys avenged their Paris defeat.

India had an early chance but Jugraj Singh’s flick was saved by the rusher in the 3rd minute and thereafter, it was a game of attrition as Spain gradually settled to cut space and restrict India’s attacks, goalkeeper Luis Calzado stepping up repeatedly to deny the host.

It took Hockey India League’s player of the tournament Sukhjeet Singh, continuing his scoring form, to break the deadlock in the 25th minute with a reverse into the net despite two defenders on him but an unmarked Borja Lacalle latched on to a defensive lapse two minutes later to level in a frantic final five minutes of the first half. 

Spain came out resurgent post break, earning a series of PCs to go ahead in the 38th minute, then held on to deny a desperate India with a stubborn defence that frustrated both the host and its supporters. Bruno Avila then doubled the lead four minutes from time to seal the issue.

Earlier, there was little to separate as India and England women kept things tight, trying to capitalise on the few chances they got against some stubborn defending from both teams. India capitalised on its PCs, converting two of the three to go 2-1 up in the first 25 minutes and it looked like the scoreline will hold before Fiona Crackles sneaked one through two minutes from time. 

With everyone preparing for a shotoout, Navneet Kaur calmly beat goalkeeper Miriam Pritchard to send the ball in a minute later to seal the deal. Spanish women, meanwhile, upset higher-ranked Germany 2-1.

The results: Women: Spain 2 (Estel Petchame 35, Berta Agullo 59) bt Germany 1 (Sophia Schwabe 44), India 3 (Vashnavi Phalke 6, Deepika 25, Navneet Kaur 59) bt England 2 (Darcy Bourne 12, Fiona Crackles 58); Men: Spain 3 (Borja Lacalle 27, Ignacio Cobos 38, Bruno Avila 56) bt India 1 (Sukhjeet Singh 27).