By Anand Philar, IANS
Chennai : Belgium scored a well-deserved 3-2 win over a youthful and reshuffled Indian team in the fifth and concluding hockey Test here Thursday evening. India, however, clinched the series 3-1.
After the teams drew 4-4 in the first Test, India won the next three 5-0, 3-2, 2-1 before going down Thursday at the Mayor Radhakrishnan Stadium.
Belgium scored their goals through Briel Thomas (23rd minute), Jerome Dekeyser (52nd) and Cedric Charlier (61st) while Birendra Lakra (12th) and Ajitesh Rai (51st) struck for India.
The Indians were keen on experimenting with their squad of 24 players with an intent to give them some much-needed exposure before the 2008 Olympic qualifying tournament. In the event, the hosts rested almost all their key players.
Belgium fought well right through the game and looked the more organised and settled team.
The first-half witnessed a disjointed performance from the Indian team that struggled to translate their obvious dominance into goals.
With coach Joaquim Carvalho carrying out wholesale changes to provide exposure to hitherto untried and untested players at the senior international level, the Indian team lacked the fluency and rhythm witnessed in some of the earlier Tests.
Consequently, Belgium enjoyed rare freedom to carry out some dangerous attacks marked by swift exchange of passes and pace to catch out the Indian defenders.
Like their opponents, the Belgians too appeared rather low key in this session and consequently, the proceedings were rather pedestrians barring an occasional sparkle that kept the crowd interested.
India were virtually gifted a goal in the 12th minute when S.V. Sunil’s powerful centre from the right came to an unmarked Birender Lakra off goalkeeper David van Rysselberghe’s pads and the young forward let it rip to the boards.
The Indians stepped up the pressure, but hardly made an impression with the forwards unable to combine inside the rival 25-yard area to be of any effect.
The Belgians, as in the previous games, were persistent and scored the equaliser in the 23rd minute when Thomas deflected a Jerome Truyens pass.
Almost immediately, Belgium forced the only penalty corner of the first-half but could not convert and the teams went into the break on even terms.
The Indians showed greater urgency in the second-half and launched a series of attacks, but missed a few clear scoring chances until Ajitesh came up with a delightful run down the left to score in the 51st minute.
India had another good chance to increase the tally, but Diwakar Ram drag-flicked wide with the first penalty corner.
A relieved Belgium then hit back with Dekeyser converting their second penalty corner in the 61st and a minute later, Dohmen put the visitors ahead (3-2) after intercepting a pass to slam home from the top of the circle.
With seconds ticking by, the Indians grew in desperation and carried out waves of attacks, but the Belgians, sensing a victory, defended well in numbers to score their only win of the series.