Rotterdam, June 18: In a stunning display of skill, the Indian men’s hockey team defeated the world champions, Germany, with a score of 3-1 in the FIH Hockey Pro League 2025-26.
Mandeep Singh opened the scoring in the 7th minute, followed by Shilanand Lakra in the 13th minute, and Neelakant Sharma in the 35th minute, securing a remarkable victory for India. The Indian defense was notably strong throughout the match. Midfielder Hardik Singh was named ‘Player of the Match’ for his exceptional performance in controlling the midfield. Additionally, Manpreet Singh became India’s most-capped player, surpassing Dilip Tirkey’s record of 412 matches.
With 413 international matches under his belt, Manpreet now ranks fifth on the all-time list of men’s international caps, following Belgium’s John-John Dohmen (481), the Netherlands’ Teun de Nooijer (453), Australia’s Eddie Ockenden (451), and Great Britain’s Barry Middleton (432).
India started the match well, controlling possession and applying pressure on Germany. Mandeep’s quick turn and goal in the 7th minute gave India a 1-0 lead. Just before the end of the first quarter, Lakra struck a brilliant shot, outsmarting German goalkeeper Alexander Stadler to extend India’s lead to 2-0.
In the second quarter, Germany attempted to respond by pushing deeper into the Indian half, but the Indian defense held firm. Germany earned their first penalty corner in the 24th minute, which Amit Rohidas successfully blocked. After continued attacking play, Germany was awarded another penalty corner in the 27th minute, but goalkeeper Mohit made a crucial save, maintaining India’s 2-0 lead at halftime.
India continued to seek goals in the second half. Their efforts paid off in the 35th minute when Neelakant Sharma executed a fantastic solo run, scoring to increase India’s lead to 3-0. Both teams exchanged counter-attacks, and Germany finally found the net with just 20 seconds left in the third quarter, as Raphael Hartkopf scored in the 45th minute, bringing the score to 3-1.
In the final quarter, Germany ramped up their efforts to make a comeback, but the Indian defense denied them any opportunities. The Indian team utilized counter-pressing and attacked from the wings to keep Germany at bay. With only 90 seconds remaining, Germany earned a final penalty corner in the 59th minute. However, the Indian backline held strong, securing a 3-1 victory.
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