February 18th 2025.
The match between India and Germany in the FIH Pro League on Tuesday was a tough one. The reigning world champions proved to be a formidable opponent, with their relentless attacks and strong defence. Despite putting up a good fight, India suffered a 1-4 defeat.
Right from the start, it was evident that India was struggling to keep up with Germany's pace. Their defence was weak, and they didn't have enough quality in the final third to score goals. Germany took an early lead with Florian Sperling's seventh-minute strike, but India managed to equalize within six minutes through Gurjant Singh's goal.
The first quarter was a riveting one, with three goals being scored. Thies Prinz quickly restored Germany's lead, proving that they were not going to let India take the lead easily. After a goalless second and third quarter, Germany dominated the final quarter with two more goals from Michel Struthoff and Raphael Hartkopf, securing a convincing win against India.
Amit Rohidas led the Indian team in this match as their captain, Harmanpreet Singh, was not in the starting line-up. It wasn't clear why the champion drag-flicker was not playing, but it was later revealed that he was being rested for the second game. India came into this match with a win against Spain in their last outing, but they couldn't replicate that performance against Germany.
Germany started strong, with Sperling scoring the first goal in the seventh minute. India quickly responded with a goal from Gurjant, but Germany regained their lead soon after with Prinz's goal. At the end of the first quarter, Germany was leading 2-1. India had a chance to equalize in the 20th minute, but Gurjant missed the target. They had more possession in the first half but lacked finishing, while Germany took advantage of their chances.
In the third quarter, India needed to step up their game, but Germany's defence remained solid, not allowing them to score. India struggled with penalty corners, failing to convert them into goals. On the other hand, Germany scored two goals in the final quarter, sealing the match in their favor.
This was India's second loss in three matches, and it was a tough one against a strong German team. With 10 goals in four Pro League matches, Germany was expected to challenge India's defence, and they did just that. It was a disappointing result for India, but they will have to regroup and come back stronger for their next game.
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