Junior Hockey World Cup 2023: Dramatic India Win After Last-Minute Belgium Equaliser
India vs Belgium in the FIH Junior World Cup turned into one of the most dramatic matches of the tournament. After three league games without conceding a goal, the India hockey team finally felt the heat against Belgium in a high-pressure quarterfinal. The Junior Hockey World Cup 2023 knockout clash started at full pace. In the very first minute, goalkeeper Princedeep Singh was forced into a tough save as Marin van Heel found space inside the circle and smashed a powerful shot that needed to be palmed away. It was a sign of the intense India vs Belgium battle that would follow in Chennai.
Princedeep, who took inspiration from legendary goalkeeper PR Sreejesh to take up the position, eventually became the hero of the night. Belgium struck first, but India responded with two brilliant goals to send the Mayor Radhakrishnan Stadium into a frenzy. Belgium, however, found a last-minute equaliser to make it 2-2 and push the FIH Junior World Cup quarterfinal into a tense shootout. The India hockey team then held their nerve in an extraordinary tiebreaker to seal a semifinal spot, where they will meet Germany.
Sreejesh had a simple message for the young India hockey team before the match: enjoy the pressure because this is only the beginning. But Belgium came prepared to spoil India’s home advantage. In the 13th minute, Gaspard Cornez-Massant became the first player to break India’s defence in this Junior Hockey World Cup 2023. He drove forward from a free-out, played a smart pass into the circle that deflected kindly to him, and finished with a sharp reverse hit past Princedeep. India were caught crowded in defence and left the free man unmarked, giving Belgium the early lead.
From there, Manmeet Singh, one of India's best performers in this Junior World Cup, tried to spark the attack with constant movement and creativity. But despite holding possession, India were struggling to produce clear-cut chances. The India vs Belgium contest continued to swing back and forth, with fans waiting for something special. In the third quarter, Anmol Ekka came close with a fierce drag-flick that brushed just wide of the post, leaving half the stadium celebrating prematurely.
The breakthrough finally arrived in the last minute of the third quarter when captain Rohit fired home a thunderous drag-flick that beat Belgian goalkeeper Alexis van Havere with sheer pace. His excitement was clear later in the mixed zone, where he smiled and repeated that he finally scored the PC he had been waiting for. The FIH Junior World Cup crowd roared as India gained momentum in this thrilling quarterfinal.
But Belgium were not done. As the hooter sounded, they earned a set of penalty corners. After multiple retakes and a long review, the India hockey team held strong to keep the score level. The crowd celebrated the defensive resilience just as loudly as they had celebrated the goal moments earlier. In the 48th minute, Sharda Nand Tiwari converted another penalty corner with a low flick to the goalkeeper’s right, taking India’s conversion to two out of five. It was a key moment in this India vs Belgium Junior Hockey World Cup clash.
With only minutes left, the stadium erupted every time India made a tackle. Fans shouted instructions, including one voice calling for an all-man defence. India looked set to finish the match with composure, but with just sixty seconds left, they tried to push forward to score again instead of controlling possession. Belgium punished the mistake immediately and equalised off the turnover, sending the Junior Hockey World Cup 2023 quarterfinal into a nail-biting shootout.
What followed was one of the most chaotic shootouts seen in recent India vs Belgium clashes. Neither team converted early attempts. Both goalkeepers committed fouls that led to penalty strokes. Sharda had to take three attempts, one of which was saved, but India reviewed it immediately, something the Belgian captain later questioned because it came after a replay appeared on the big screen. To add to the drama, Manmeet slipped during his attempt, stunning the crowd into silence.
In the end, it was Princedeep who delivered the decisive moment. He made a massive stick tackle, recovered instantly, and then dived again to make a match-winning save that sent India into the semifinals of the FIH Junior World Cup. Belgium delayed India’s celebrations with a final review after Ankit Pal’s winning shot, but once it was cleared, the stadium exploded with joy.
Sreejesh later said the players deserve to enjoy the night after such an emotional rollercoaster, though he also hinted at a few stern discussions the next morning. The India hockey team may have made mistakes, but they showed incredible heart, resilience and confidence in a pressure-filled Junior Hockey World Cup quarterfinal. Their unforgettable win over Belgium now sets up a blockbuster semifinal against Germany.
Princedeep, who took inspiration from legendary goalkeeper PR Sreejesh to take up the position, eventually became the hero of the night. Belgium struck first, but India responded with two brilliant goals to send the Mayor Radhakrishnan Stadium into a frenzy. Belgium, however, found a last-minute equaliser to make it 2-2 and push the FIH Junior World Cup quarterfinal into a tense shootout. The India hockey team then held their nerve in an extraordinary tiebreaker to seal a semifinal spot, where they will meet Germany.
Sreejesh had a simple message for the young India hockey team before the match: enjoy the pressure because this is only the beginning. But Belgium came prepared to spoil India’s home advantage. In the 13th minute, Gaspard Cornez-Massant became the first player to break India’s defence in this Junior Hockey World Cup 2023. He drove forward from a free-out, played a smart pass into the circle that deflected kindly to him, and finished with a sharp reverse hit past Princedeep. India were caught crowded in defence and left the free man unmarked, giving Belgium the early lead.
From there, Manmeet Singh, one of India's best performers in this Junior World Cup, tried to spark the attack with constant movement and creativity. But despite holding possession, India were struggling to produce clear-cut chances. The India vs Belgium contest continued to swing back and forth, with fans waiting for something special. In the third quarter, Anmol Ekka came close with a fierce drag-flick that brushed just wide of the post, leaving half the stadium celebrating prematurely.
The breakthrough finally arrived in the last minute of the third quarter when captain Rohit fired home a thunderous drag-flick that beat Belgian goalkeeper Alexis van Havere with sheer pace. His excitement was clear later in the mixed zone, where he smiled and repeated that he finally scored the PC he had been waiting for. The FIH Junior World Cup crowd roared as India gained momentum in this thrilling quarterfinal.
But Belgium were not done. As the hooter sounded, they earned a set of penalty corners. After multiple retakes and a long review, the India hockey team held strong to keep the score level. The crowd celebrated the defensive resilience just as loudly as they had celebrated the goal moments earlier. In the 48th minute, Sharda Nand Tiwari converted another penalty corner with a low flick to the goalkeeper’s right, taking India’s conversion to two out of five. It was a key moment in this India vs Belgium Junior Hockey World Cup clash.
With only minutes left, the stadium erupted every time India made a tackle. Fans shouted instructions, including one voice calling for an all-man defence. India looked set to finish the match with composure, but with just sixty seconds left, they tried to push forward to score again instead of controlling possession. Belgium punished the mistake immediately and equalised off the turnover, sending the Junior Hockey World Cup 2023 quarterfinal into a nail-biting shootout.
What followed was one of the most chaotic shootouts seen in recent India vs Belgium clashes. Neither team converted early attempts. Both goalkeepers committed fouls that led to penalty strokes. Sharda had to take three attempts, one of which was saved, but India reviewed it immediately, something the Belgian captain later questioned because it came after a replay appeared on the big screen. To add to the drama, Manmeet slipped during his attempt, stunning the crowd into silence.
In the end, it was Princedeep who delivered the decisive moment. He made a massive stick tackle, recovered instantly, and then dived again to make a match-winning save that sent India into the semifinals of the FIH Junior World Cup. Belgium delayed India’s celebrations with a final review after Ankit Pal’s winning shot, but once it was cleared, the stadium exploded with joy.
Sreejesh later said the players deserve to enjoy the night after such an emotional rollercoaster, though he also hinted at a few stern discussions the next morning. The India hockey team may have made mistakes, but they showed incredible heart, resilience and confidence in a pressure-filled Junior Hockey World Cup quarterfinal. Their unforgettable win over Belgium now sets up a blockbuster semifinal against Germany.
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