Indian men’s hockey team set to face Germany in FIH Hockey Pro League match

The Indian men's hockey team is poised for a critical encounter against Germany in the FIH Hockey Pro League 2023/24 tournament in London today. With just two matches remaining, India aims to conclude their campaign on a high note by also taking on hosts Great Britain on June 9.

Currently, the Indian team sits fourth in the points table, having accumulated 24 points from 14 matches. In contrast, their upcoming opponents, Germany and Great Britain, occupy the 6th and 7th positions respectively, each having played 7 matches so far in the league.

Reflecting on their journey, India’s performance during the Antwerp stage showcased resilience and determination. They secured a 2-2 (5-4 SO) shootout victory against Argentina, suffered a 1-4 defeat to Belgium, and lost again to Belgium in another shootout, 2-2 (1-3 SO). However, they bounced back with a thrilling 5-4 win over Argentina.

In the London stage, India displayed their prowess with a 3-0 triumph over Germany, though they faced a setback with a 1-3 loss to Great Britain in their second match.

Vice-Captain Hardik Singh expressed confidence in the team’s potential while acknowledging areas for improvement. "We have played some good hockey, but there are still some areas where we need to improve if we want the result to go in our favour. Our objective in these last two matches will be to start aggressively and work on our best combinations. We will go step-by-step, try to play good hockey, and most importantly look to keep the momentum going," Singh stated.

Highlighting the significance of these matches, Singh added, "The entire team knows that the London stage FIH Hockey Pro League 2023/24 matches are very important in our preparations for the upcoming Paris 2024 Olympics. Therefore, it is important that we don’t take anything for granted and give our best out there."