FIH Pro League: India beat Argentina 2-1, end campaign on positive note

India returned to winning ways with a 2-1 victory over Argentina in the FIH Pro League hockey tournament here on Sunday, ending the 2022-23 season on a positive note.

A day after suffering a 2-3 defeat to hosts Netherlands, the Indian team made a comeback and emerged victorious through goals from Akashdeep Singh (1st minute) and Sukhjeet Singh (13th).

India scored their two goals in first quarter itself while Argentina reduced the margin with a strike by Toscani Lucas in the 57th minute. India opened the scoring less than two minutes from the start of the game with an unmarked Akashdeep, waiting for the ball inside the D, converting an excellent pass from the right flank.

A goal so early into the match took the Argentines by surprise but they tried to put up a fight. However, they soon found themselves 0-2 down as the Indians doubled their lead when a diving Sukhjeet tapped the ball in after some excellent work by Vivek Sagar Prasad.

Not a single goal was scored in the second quarter as India went into the half-time break comfortably ahead by two goals. The third quarter also did not see any goals and, after a scrappy start to the fourth and final quarter, when it looked like India would win 2-0, Argentina scored off Toscani after a pass from Nicholas.

Argentina, however, could not find the equaliser in the remaining two and half minutes as India ended their final game of the Pro League 2022/23 with a win.