Bhubaneswar: After a comprehensive win in the first match against South Africa on November 28, India is all set to battle World number 3 and Rio Olympic silver medalist Belgium at Kalinga Stadium on Sunday at 7 pm. This win will ensure a direct ticket to quarterfinals.
The teams, since 2013, have played against each other 19 times. While India won five of the matches, Belgium registered 13 wins. One of them ended in a draw.
The last time the teams came face-to-face was in the final edition of the 2018 Men’s Hockey Champions Trophy earlier this year in Breda, the Netherlands, where the match was tied at 1-1.
In Odisha Men’s Hockey World League Final Bhubaneswar 2017, India had defeated Belgium 3-2 in shootout to enter semis, while India had bowed out of Rio 2016 Olympics medal contention after losing 1-3 loss to Belgium in the quarter-final.
After their first gold in World Cup, 43 years ago in 1975, the Indian team looks geared up and streamlined to lift the trophy again before the home crowd.
While India had an impressive start, Belgium registered a slow entry with a 2-1 win against lowly Canada on November 28. This also gives India all the more reasons to be prepped up as Belgium will turn into ‘Red Lions’ quite literally after their bitter opening.
India’s forward line- Mandeep Singh, Simranjeet Singh Akashdeep Singh and Lalit Upadhyay took over the match with their plausible goals. Simranjeet, having scored a brace, won the ‘Man of the Match’ in the opener against South Africa.
Belgians, popular for being attackers, will give a tough competition to India and goalkeeper P R Sreejesh, and have defenders Harmanpreet Singh, Birendra Lakra and Surender Kumar on their toes.
Among the four teams in Pool C, Belgium and India occupy number 1 and 2 slots respectively with South Africa at the bottom. Canada and South Africa will also be facing each other today at 5 pm.
