India tour of Belgium | Mandeep Singh, Akashdeep Singh score to take India to 2-0 win
Mandeep Singh and Akashdeep Singh scored a goal apiece in the second half of the match to hand India an encouraging 2-0 win over Belgium, which was held in Antwerp on Thursday. After starting off their three-match series on a strong note, India would be playing their second match on September 28.
India started their tour in an encouraging manner giving the fans back home a realistic hope in the upcoming Olympics. The visitors had made their intention knows early in the first quarter when Loic van Doren was seen forced into saving a Penalty Corner to keep his team in contention.
And Belgium were quick to respond as well as Krishan Pathak, India’s goalie for the match, was seen making a savvy save from a Belgian PC to ensure that it was a stalemate at the break. The second half wasn’t much different with Indian coming in all guns blazing with a flurry of Penalty Corners within the first minute itself.
However, Belgium were better prepared defensive this time and were seen making numerous saves to deny the visitors a goal. But, after the match resumed 0-0 following half-time, India kept their tempo consistent and Doren’s continuous tests eventually saw him getting broken in the 39th minute as Mandeep scored to give them the lead. Indian sustained the narrow lead into the final quarter.
The visitors were now forced to go on the offensive but India had PR Sreejesh in the goal this time and he was up to the task. And India doubled their lead on the counter in the 54th minute, when Akashdeep finished off a great move.
After the ongoing three-game series, India would be playing two games against Spain to complete the tour.
