TIL Desk Sports/Home favourites India produced a clinical performance here on Sunday to outclass maiden finalists Belgium 2-1 and clinch their second Hockey Junior World Cup title after a 15-year-gap. Gurjant Singh (eighth minute) and Simranjeet Singh (22nd) scored the two goals for India, who had won their previous Under-21 world title in 2001 in Hobart, Australia.
Belgium scored their goal at the death via Fabrice van Bockrijck at the Major Dhyan Chand Stadium here. The goal didn’t matter much for India as it was the final action of the match. With this win, India became only the second nation after Germany to win the Under-21 title more than once. Germany, who overpowered Australia 3-0 to secure the third spot on the podium, have won six titles.
With both the teams coming into the match unbeaten, the contest was expected to be an enticing competition between two bands of talented youngsters. And it were the hosts who looked to be the better side from the very beginning. Urged on by a vociferous crowd in good attendance, India got off to an emphatic start. Later, India got two penalty corners to put an end to Belgium’s challenge in the match but penalty corner exponents Varun Kumar and Harmanpreet Singh couldn’t make them count.
