New Delhi: India went down 0-1 to hosts Belgium in their opening game of a five-match men’s hockey tour of Europe in Boom on Wednesday night.
It was a neck-and-neck fight but a lapse in concentration from the inexperienced Indians cost them in the dying minutes of the final quarter.
After the teams failed to break the deadlock in the first three quarters, India conceded the goal in the last minutes of the fourth with experienced striker and drag-flicker Tom Boon (60th minute) finding the net for the hosts.
India fielded as many as six uncapped players with Manpreet Singh as skipper and Chinglensana Singh as his deputy. Some of the key players who featured in the World League Semi-final in London have been rested for this tournament.
During the Europe tour, India will play matches against Belgium, the Netherlands and Austria.
