That's it from us here - this is Subhashish signing off - join us when Spain play France at 1700 IST tomorrow - stay with Sportskeeda for the latest updates
INDIA HAVE THE ADVANTAGE IN SPITE OF SHARING POINTS AS THEY ENJOY A BETTER GOAL DIFFERENCE AFTER HAVING BEATEN SOUTH AFRICA 5-0 WHILE BELGIUM MANAGED AT NARROW 2-1 WIN OVER CANADA IN THE OPENER- REMEMBER THE TOP TEAM IN THE POOL MAKES THE QUARTERS DIRECTLY
NOTHING MUCH TO CHOOSE BETWEEN AS FAR AS THE STATS ARE CONCRENED - ALTHOUGH THEY WERE LOPSIDED AT THE END OF THE FIRST HALF IN FAVOUR OF BELGIUM
12 CIRCLE ENTRIES AND 6 SHOTS ON GOAL FOR INDIA - 10 CIRCLE ENTRIES AND 4 SHOTS ON GOAL FOR BELGIUM WITH THREE PCs APIECE
THE RED LIONS HAD A DREAM START AND EARNED THREE QUICK PCs - ALEXANDER HENDRICKX AND NOT LUYPAERT GOT THE BELGIANS AHEAD OFF A DRAG FLICK IN THE 8TH MINUTE - THE INDIAN DEFENCE STOOD FIRM AMIDST A WAVE OF ATTACKS FROM THE BELGIANS BUT FAILED TO GET THE FINAL TOUCHES RIGHT IN THE STRIKING CIRCLE.
INDIA CAME BACK STRONGLY IN THE SECOND HALF AND HARMANPREET PUT INDIA AHEAD WITH A STROKE EARNED OFF A VARUN PC IN THE 39TH MINUTE- KOTHAJIT FOUND SIMRANJEET UNMARKED AT THE FAR POST WHO PUT INDIA AHEAD IN THE 47TH
SIMON GOUGNARD RESTORED PARITY FOR BELGIUM IN THE 56TH - WHAT A CONTEST!!!
A MATCH WHICH WAS BILLED TO BE AS GOOD AS A FINAL - LIVES UP TO THE HYPE AND EXCEEDS THE SAME BY A FAIR MARGIN - THE CROWD AT THE KALINGA STADIUM HAVE WITNESSED A RARE CLASSIC WHICH HAD ALL THE INGREDIENTS OF AN ABSOLUTE POTBOILER
CHANGE OF SCRIPT AFTER HALF-TIME - INDIA HAVE THE ASCENDANCY - BELGIUM NOT REALLY PEGGED BACK - BUT UNABLE TO POWER IN THE LONG BALLS INTO THE CIRCLE LIKE THEY DID IN THE FIRST HALF
THE RED LIONS HAVE HAD A LIONS SHARE OF THE POSSESSION - 61% -"Not a bad first half" says Shane Mcleod. EIGHT CIRCLE PENETRATIONS AND THREE SHOTS ON GOAL - INDIA HAVE HAD ONLY TWO OF EACH -"Protect the center" SAYS HARENDRA
BELGIUM SENDING IN CLEVER CRASH BALLS ANGLED IN FROM THE BACKLINE - IN SPITE OF BEING A GOAL DOWN THE INDIAN DEFENCE HAVE HELD ON IN THE FACE OF SOME SUSTAINED PRESSURE - THE MEN UP FRONT HAVE BEEN LESS THAN FLEUNT THOUGH
BELGIUM LOOKING CALMER AND MORE COMPOSED - THE INDIANS BEING PEGGED BACK BY AN EARLY GOAL - FAIL TO STRING TOGETHER THE PASSES OUTSIDE THE 23 - MANDEEP MISSES A SITTER - DILPREET ATTEMPTS TO PLAY TO THE GALLERIES BY TAKING A WILD SWING INSTEAD OF LETTING LALIT IN FRONT OF GOAL FIND THE MARK - CAN HARENDRA GET THE INDIAN UNIT BACK IN ORDER IN THE SECOND HALF??