2-1 in favour of India by the end of the first quarter, with goals from Harmanpreet and Mandeep, while Belgium equalized barely five minutes into the second quarter. The score remained tied into the third quarter, with India defending well against repeated Belgium onslaughts. The final quarter was as nervy as the third. Four minutes in, Belgium took the lead again, as they made numerical superiority count by winning three successive penalties; Alexander Hendrickx converted in the end to make the match 3-2. A couple of minutes later, Hendrickx made it a hat trick, giving Belgium a 4-2 advantage. The final goal came in the final minutes of the game. India found itself hemmed in to their own half in the final two quarters.
Hopes were high for India before the match. Momentum was on their side, with India being on a four-match winning streak after the 1-7 drubbing against Australia in their second pool match. Indians achieved the semifinal slot by beating Great Britain 3-1 in the quarterfinals on Sunday.
India’s last of the eight Olympic gold medals came way back in…
