India, Aug. 22 -- India's men's hockey team fell to a 3-1 defeat to the Netherlands in their second-stage FIH Hockey World Cup 2026 clash, denting their semi-final qualification hopes. The contest remained goalless for 40 minutes before the Dutch broke through in the third quarter. India responded soon, with captain Harmanpreet Singh bringing them back into the game, but two late goals allowed the Netherlands to pull away and have the last laugh. The result leaves India needing a strong response in their final second-stage fixture against Argentina at Wagener Stadium.

Dutch break deadlock after tight first half

The opening two quarters were close, with neither side able to find the net. India's defensive structure remained disciplined, ...