India’s junior men’s hockey team secured a thrilling victory against Belgium in the FIH Hockey Men’s Junior World Cup Tamil Nadu 2025 quarterfinals in Chennai. The match ended in a 2-2 draw, with India winning 4-3 in the shootout.Princedeep Singh delivered an outstanding performance in defence, making crucial saves during both regulation time and the shootout. His performance earned him the Player of the Match award.“Have learnt a lot from Sreejesh and the confidence is up watching him, learning from him. It was a sensational match, and the crowd support in Chennai has been incredible,” said Princedeep.Sharda Nand Tiwari proved instrumental in the shootout by successfully converting three penalty strokes. Ankit Pal scored the winning goal for India in the shootout, securing the 4-3 victory.Belgium took an early lead in the 13th minute through a field goal by Gaspard Cornez-Massant. They maintained strong defensive tactics throughout the second quarter, effectively preventing India from creating scoring opportunities.The third quarter saw increased action as India returned with renewed energy after halftime. Indian captain Rohit equalised the score 1-1 in the 45th minute with an impressive dragflick. Princedeep Singh continued his exceptional form, making several remarkable saves during the match. His performance drew comparisons to his coach PR Sreejesh’s goalkeeping style.India took the lead in the 48th minute when Sharda Nand Tiwari successfully converted a penalty corner, making it 2-1. The celebration at the Egmore stadium was brief as Belgium’s Nathan Rogge equalised in the 59th minute. India will face seven-time champions Germany in the semifinal on December 7.
