The Sultan Azlan Shah Cup came to an end, and the summit clash of the marquee event saw India taking on Belgium. The two sides locked horns on November 30 in Malaysia. Both teams came into the final after stellar performances behind them, but in the end, it was Belgium who managed to clinch the title with a 1-0 victory.
Thibeau Stockbroekx struck the sole goal of the game in the 34th minute, helping Belgium win their maiden Sultan Azlan Shah title. It is also worth noting that Belgium’s appearance in the tournament this year was only their second in history in the competition.
Interestingly, India was being considered the favourite for the title as the side came into the clash after a high-octane 14-3 win against Canada on Saturday. However, the final was not their day as they failed to convert any of the penalty corners that they earned in the game.
Belgium continued winning record against India
Notably, team India’s last defeat in the tournament before the final also came against Belgium. The side defeated the Men in Blue 3-2 in the group stages of the event. Speaking of the game, the first half between them ended goalless, with the two sides still looking to break the deadlock, but solid defence from both sides saw the clash go 0-0 into the second half.
However, the momentum was completely shifted in the second half. Belgium was quick to put India under pressure. Adapting to a high press, India failed to keep up the pressure as they conceded the first and only goal of the game in the 34th minute. In the final quarter, the Men in Blue went hard towards their opponents, but Belgium’s sturdy defence held strong as India failed to equalise and eventually lost the game.
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