The Indian women's hockey team's nightmarish run in the FIH Pro League extended with a 1-5 defeat against Belgium here Saturday. It was team's fifth consecutive defeat in a row at the the European leg of the tournament having lost two matches each to Australia and Argentina in London.
On Saturday, India took the lead through Deepika (6th minute) before Belgium turned things around after half time, pumping in five goals through Hélène Brasseur (37th, 55th), Lucie Breyne (41st), Ambre Ballenghien (54th) and Charlotte Englebert (58th).
Belgium started on the offensive and dominated the early share of exchanges with repeated raids into the Indian circle but the visitors defended well.
The hosts had the first scoring chance of the match in the form of a penalty corner but India goalkeeper Savita made a fine save.
After the early onslaught, the Indians got their acts together and made a comeback in the form of a penalty corner, and Deepika made no mistake, scoring with a powerful low flick through the legs of Belgian goalkeeper Elena Sotgiu in the sixth minute.
India controlled the ball in the midfield thereafter but could not create any more chances.
Belgium pressed hard on the Indian defence in the second quarter and in the process secured two penalty corners in the 19th and 21st minutes but on both occasion the Indian defence stood tall.
India too had their chances and in the 23rd minute skipper Salima Tete earned the second penalty corner for her team but failed to capitalise on the chance.
India had just one real chance after the change of ends in the form of their fourth penalty corner but squandered the opportunity.
Thereafter it was all Belgium as the play was mostly inside the Indian half with the hosts pressing hard for goals.
India's strategy to sit back and defence backfired as Belgium earned three back-to-back penalty corners in the 37th minute, the last of which was converted by Hélène Brasseur with a backhand shot.
It was raining penalty corners for Belgium as they earned their 11th set piece minutes later and Lucie Breyne dived to get her stick to guide he ball into the net after it was saved by Savita.
A minute later, Belgium had another penalty corner but wasted the opportunity.
The Indian defence looked clueless in the last two quarters against Belgium's onslaught, conceding penalty corners in heaps and from three such set pieces Ballenghien, Brasseur and Englebert scored to the cheers of the home crowd.
The Indian women will again take on Belgium in return leg match on Sunday.
