Bhubaneswar (Odisha) [India], February 19: After a dominant 4-1 win over India in the FIH Hockey Pro League 2024-25 at the iconic Kalinga Hockey Stadium in Bhubaneswar on Tuesday, Germany’s captain Tom Grambusch shared his thoughts on the thrilling encounter, praising his team’s performance in a challenging atmosphere.
Germany outplayed the Indian men’s team with goals from Florian Sperling (7′), Thies Prinz (14′), Michel Struthoff (48′), and Raphael Hartkopf (55′). India’s lone goal came from Gurjant Singh in the 13th minute.
Grambusch expressed his satisfaction with his team’s performance, despite the challenging conditions. “I think it was a great match. It was tough to play here, of course. India is a good team, a very good team. I think we did really well today. It’s really difficult because the stadium is packed, people are loud, and it’s not easy to communicate on the pitch. It’s not easy, but I think we did quite well today,” Grambusch told ANI after the match.
Looking ahead to their next match against India, Grambusch anticipated a tougher contest. “Tomorrow will be a different match. I expect a harder match, so let’s see. I think tomorrow will be a tough match. They lost 4-1 today, and I think they want to win against us tomorrow,” he added.
The match began with both teams showing high intensity. India held better possession in the first five minutes, but Germany’s tactical play paid off with a field goal in the 7th minute, courtesy of a brilliant assist from Eric Kleinlein to Florian Sperling. India quickly responded in the 13th minute when Rajinder Singh set up Gurjant Singh for a classy equalizer.
Germany retook the lead in the 14th minute when Thies Prinz scored a dramatic goal after a defensive hit on Manpreet Singh. India continued to display an aggressive attack, with young forwards showing great promise but unable to convert their chances. In the second quarter, India came close to scoring but failed to capitalize on key opportunities.
India’s defense remained solid in the third quarter, but a crucial goal by Germany’s Michel Struthoff in the 50th minute extended the lead to 3-1. Despite some desperate attempts from India, they could not find a way to break through the German defense. Raphael Hartkopf sealed the win for Germany with a fourth goal in the 55th minute.
The loss leaves India with work to do as they aim to bounce back in the next match.
Tags: Germany, India, FIH Hockey Pro League 2024-25, Tom Grambusch, Kalinga Hockey Stadium, Florian Sperling, Thies Prinz, Michel Struthoff, Raphael Hartkopf, Gurjant Singh, hockey, India vs Germany, match recap, Bhubaneswar