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The Indian men's hockey team went down fighting 2-5 against world champions Belgium in the semifinals of the Tokyo Olympics.
After a promising first half with a 2-2 score at the long break, the Indians seemed short of time and ideas as the Red Lions earned a string of penalty corners in the crucial final quarter.
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Graham Reid's team, who had done well to take the lead in the first quarter, fell apart in the last fifteen minutes and conceded two goals in the space of four minutes, which swung the match in Belgium's favor.
The Belgians scored their fifth after Sreejesh was taken while the Indians were unable to force a PC despite two forays into the attacking circle in the last five minutes.
#3 Alexander Hendrickx outclasses the Indians in Tokyo
Much like Australian penalty corner maestro Chris Ciriello and the hero of Rio Gonzalo Piellat, Alexander Hendrickx relishes the big stage.
Ciriello sunk the Indians with a PC hat-trick in the Commonwealth Games final of 2014 and won his team a World Cup the same year with another hat-trick against the Dutch in the final.
Check Out: Tokyo Olympics Hockey Schedule
Gonzalo Peillat won Argentina the Olympic gold with 11 goals in Rio, but Alexander Hendrickx has gone even further. The 27-year-old defender, who was the highest scorer in the Odisha World Cup with seven goals, now has 14 with the finals still to be played.
Hendrickx deceived Sreejesh to score his first and then unleashed his repertoire for the rest of the match. The Indians had no answer, although Amit Rohidas rushed out bravely and took many a blow on his arm and torso.
#2 The fearless Odisha lad who tried in vain to save the day for India
The sight of Amit Rohidas rushing out like a champion sprinter as he propels his body in the line of a hockey ball that is flicked at great pace is nothing short of inspirational.
The Odisha lad, who always looked up to German international Moritz Fuerste when the two played for Kalinga Lancers in the Hockey India League, usually covers the left side while Sreejesh guards the right when defending a drag flick.
As the ball strikes the arm, there is no immediate pain as the body heat numbs the effects temporarily but the aching sensation grows after a while and has to be soothed with ice.
Amit rushed out fearlessly in the Olympic semifinals to stop the many drag-flicks that Belgium earned, albeit in a losing cause.
Even so, the exploits of the man from Sundargarh will hardly go unnoticed as a nation salutes the bravery of India's penalty corner defender.
#1 Belgium show why they are in a different class
The Red Lions trailed Spain by a lone goal in the quarterfinal clash but came back to score three in the second half almost at will.
Against India as well, the Belgians were able to up the ante at the time of their choosing, knowing that the PC brigade would allow them to bounce back from pretty much any situation.
Shane McLeod's team displayed more intensity than the Indians did, particularly in the second half, winning one-on-one tackles with great purpose and not shying away from being physical on occasion.
The Belgians now make it to their second successive Olympic final and the world champions are on course for more history.
Meanwhile, Manpreet and co. will now have to wait longer for the elusive gold medal knowing that they were beaten by a better side on the day after giving it pretty much all they had.
