Junior Hockey World Cup 2025: India beats Belgium to qualify for semifinals

India secured a dramatic 4-3 shootout victory over Belgium in the quarterfinal of the FIH Men’s Hockey Junior World Cup 2025 at the Mayor Radhakrishnan Stadium on Friday, setting up a semifinal clash with reigning champion Germany.

Goalkeeper Prince Deep Singh was the hero, making two crucial saves in the shootout, while Sharda Nand Tiwari converted three penalty strokes.

After comfortable wins against weaker opponents in the pool stage, the Indian side faced its first major test and struggled to settle into rhythm. Playing in front of a near-capacity crowd seemed to create anxiety among the players, and in the first half, it was the Belgian team that appeared to relish the atmosphere.

The Young Red Lions capitalised on a rapid restart near the midline, leading to the opening goal in the 13th minute. Gaspard Cornez-Massant drove into the circle from the left flank and unleashed a powerful tomahawk from a tight angle that rocketed past Prince Deep, giving Belgium a crucial 1-0 lead just before the end of the first quarter.

Belgium demonstrated remarkable composure, both with and without the ball. Its strategy of double- and sometimes triple-marking Roshan Kujur effectively neutralised the Indian midfield and allowed it to control the tempo of the game. India’s defensive unit also looked momentarily vulnerable against the powerful and pacy Belgian attackers. Despite seven circle entries and two Penalty Corners (PC), India failed to convert these opportunities or create any clear-cut chances from open play in the first half.

The Young Red Lions capitalised on a rapid restart near the midline, leading to the opening goal in the 13th minute.
| Photo Credit:
B. Jothi Ramalingam

Following the break, P.R. Sreejesh’s team showed renewed confidence, but it took time to truly claw back into the contest. As the game opened up, India finally found its breakthrough via a PC with just 17 seconds left in the third quarter. Captain Rohit stepped up and flawlessly executed a precise drag-flick into the top left corner to level the scores.

Belgium mounted a fierce assault on the Indian goal, earning four successive PCs before the quarter-ending hooter. The Indian PC defence, anchored by goalie Bikramjit Singh, heroically absorbed the relentless pressure, ensuring the teams entered the final phase all square.

In the final quarter, the Blue Colts displayed greater composure and purpose, moving the ball quickly to force early errors from their Belgian counterparts. This shift in approach paid dividends in the 48th minute when India won another PC. This time, Sharda Nand ripped a powerful drag-flick that split the Belgian PC defence and found the back of the net, handing India the lead.

India nearly extended its advantage, but Arshdeep Singh couldn’t connect cleanly with a pass from Ankit Pal at the top of the ‘D’. Recognising the urgency, Belgium’s coach Sean Dancer substituted his goalkeeper for an extra midfielder with four minutes remaining. This high-risk strategy paid off with exactly a minute left, as Nathan Rogge deflected a ball fired from the dotted line, pulling Belgium level and forcing the match into a shootout.

Custodian Prince Deep Singh was ultimately named the Player of the Match for his outstanding heroics, which saw India narrowly survive the Belgian challenge to book their spot in the final four.

Published on Dec 05, 2025