India and Belgium have advanced to the knockout stages of the Paris Olympics following key results in Pool B. India’s men’s hockey team secured their spot in the quarter-finals with a decisive 2-0 victory over Ireland. This win was further cemented when Argentina defeated New Zealand 2-0, allowing India to briefly top Pool B.
However, Belgium soon reclaimed the top spot with a commanding 6-2 win over Australia. Belgium’s impressive performance moved them to first place in the pool with nine points from three matches, while India settled into second place with seven points.
India’s journey in the tournament began with a thrilling 3-2 win over New Zealand. Their second game saw skipper Harmanpreet Kaur score a crucial late goal against Argentina to secure a draw. Against Ireland, India came out strong, applying early pressure. They earned a penalty corner just two minutes into the match, but Harmanpreet’s initial drag flick was blocked by an Irish defender. Despite this, India continued to dominate possession and executed precise passes.
Their aggressive approach paid off when Gurjant Singh and Mandeep Singh created a scoring chance, resulting in a penalty stroke after Mandeep was fouled. Harmanpreet converted the stroke confidently, giving India a 1-0 lead in the 11th minute. In the second quarter, India maintained their dominance, earning three penalty corners. The third corner saw Harmanpreet score again with a powerful drag-flick, extending India’s lead to 2-0 in the 19th minute.
With their 2-0 lead, India controlled the game effectively, keeping Ireland at bay. They held on to their advantage to secure the win and confirm their place in the quarter-finals.
