Key Points

India A men's hockey team wrapped up their European tour with a heavy 2-8 loss against the Netherlands. Young players Rajinder Singh and Selvam Karthi managed to score for the Indian side in the final match. Coach Shivendra Singh highlighted the tour's focus on gaining experience rather than chasing victories. The team played eight matches across Europe, facing top-ranked opponents like Netherlands and Belgium.

Key Points: India A Hockey Team Ends Euro Tour With Heavy Loss to Netherlands

  • India A suffered an 8-2 loss to Netherlands in final Euro Tour match
  • Youngsters Rajinder Singh and Selvam Karthi scored for India
  • Team played 8 matches against top European sides
  • Coach Shivendra Singh emphasized learning over results
2 min read

India A hockey team ends Euro Tour campaign with 2-8 loss against Netherlands

India A men's hockey team concludes Euro Tour with 2-8 defeat against Netherlands, gaining valuable exposure against top European teams.

"This tour was about learning, not results. Players will use this experience to improve. – Shivendra Singh, India A Coach"

Eindhoven, July 21

India A men's hockey team ended their Euro Tour campaign with a 2-8 loss against the Netherlands. Young Indian midfielder Rajinder Singh and forward Selvam Karthi scored the two goals for India A in the final match. India A had also lost in their earlier match against the Netherlands on July 18 with a 0-3 scoreline.

India A had kicked off their Euro tour on July 8 and played a total of eight matches against five European teams during this tour. The team travelled across three cities to compete against some of the top hockey teams in the World, including the World number 1 Netherlands and World number 3 Belgium.

Talking about the overall experience, India A coach Shivendra Singh said while the team might have had more losses than wins during this European Tour, it was never about the results and more about learning and experience gained from this tour as a team.

"We had a mix of senior and junior players as part of India A, and they gained very valuable experience during the past two weeks. As we head back to India, I am confident that all these players will use this valuable experience and incorporate it to better their game for all their future matches," he said, according to Hockey India release.

India A played against Ireland, France, England, Belgium, and the Netherlands during this exposure tour and won a total of three of their eight matches.

In their previous clash, India endured a 1-3 loss against Belgium at the Sportcentrum WilrijksePlein. Belgium scored three goals in the first quarter itself, taking an early lead in the match. India did well to sustain the pressure, hold possession, and create good opportunities in the attack over the remaining three quarters, as they managed to score in the final quarter of the game.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
The scoreline looks bad but I appreciate the coach's perspective. Our hockey team has improved so much in recent years. These exposure tours are exactly what we need to bridge the gap with top teams.
A
Aman W
Why is our defense so weak? Conceding 8 goals is unacceptable at any level. Hockey India needs to focus more on defensive training. We can't keep conceding early goals like against Belgium.
S
Shreya B
Kudos to Rajinder Singh and Selvam Karthi for scoring against the Dutch! Scoring against Netherlands is no small feat. These young players are our future. More power to them! 💪
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Vikram M
The experience matters more than results at this stage. Remember how our main team struggled initially in Europe before their Olympic medal? This is part of the process. Have faith!
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Nikhil C
We need to organize more such tours. European hockey is at another level. Only by playing against them regularly can we improve. Hockey India should plan at least 2-3 such tours every year.
K
Kavya N
The boys showed spirit in the last 3 quarters against Belgium. That's what matters! Rome wasn't built in a day. Our hockey is on the right track. Jai Hind! 🏑

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