Goa, Aug. 24 -- ndia's campaign at the FIH Men's Hockey World Cup 2026 came to a disappointing end on Monday as Argentina defeated the Harmanpreet Singh-led side 5-3 at the Wagener Stadium in Amstelveen.

India entered the Pool-E fixture knowing that only a convincing victory could keep its semifinal hopes alive. The team needed to beat Argentina by at least two goals and also required the Netherlands to defeat England by a sufficient margin. Instead, Argentina produced a dominant performance and ended India's hopes of reaching the last four.

Argentina made the perfect start, taking the lead in the opening minute. Joaquin Toscani found the far post with a composed finish from the left side, immediately putting India under pressure.

The ...