Late Collapse Costs India as Germany Snatch 2-1 Win in FIH Pro League Clash

India endured a painful late collapse as reigning world champions Germany national field hockey team struck twice in the closing minutes to defeat India men's national field hockey team 2-1 in their FIH Pro League clash in Rotterdam on Thursday.

After a tightly contested first half that ended goalless, India finally broke the deadlock in the 38th minute when Jugraj Singh converted a penalty corner with precision to give his side a deserved lead. For long stretches, India looked disciplined and organised , and it appeared they were on course for a significant win against the reigning world champions.

However, the final minutes dramatically shifted the momentum. Germany equalised in the 56th minute through Justus Weigand , who converted another penalty corner to silence the Indian camp. Just when the match seemed headed for a draw, Germany delivered the decisive blow with Jakob Brilla scoring in the 60th minute , just seconds before the final hooter.

The contest remained largely subdued in terms of open attacking play, with Germany earning five penalty corners compared to India’s three . While India showed defensive structure for most of the match, the inability to hold on during crunch moments proved costly.

Interestingly, India had entered the match with confidence after a strong 3-1 win over Germany just a day earlier. That victory had also marked a historic moment for veteran midfielder Manpreet Singh , who became India’s most-capped player with his 413th international appearance , surpassing Dilip Tirkey’s long-standing record of 412 matches.

The result comes shortly after India’s narrow 2-3 defeat against Olympic champions the Netherlands, highlighting the tight margins in their recent fixtures. They will now look to regroup quickly as they prepare to face the Netherlands once again on June 21 .