Daijiworld Media Network - Amstelveen

Amstelveen, Jul 15: India A Men's Hockey Team faced their second straight defeat on their European tour, narrowly going down 2-3 to a strong England side in a fiercely contested match at the iconic Wagener Stadium in the Netherlands.

The young Indian outfit, buoyed by early tour victories, showed flashes of brilliance with goals from forwards Maninder Singh and Uttam Singh. However, it wasn’t enough to overcome world No. 5 England, who capitalised on key moments to secure the win.

India A coach Shivendra Singh acknowledged the growing challenge of the tour. “We started with three excellent wins, and now we've had two tight losses. As expected, the competition is getting stiffer. Each match is a learning experience, and we’re taking it one step at a time,” he said post-match.

With three matches remaining, the team now shifts focus to their upcoming fixture against Belgium in Antwerpen on Thursday at 3:30 p.m. IST. The tour will conclude with back-to-back encounters against hosts Netherlands on July 18 and 20 in Eindhoven, before the squad returns home.