India lose 4-2 to England in Hockey World Cup

India lost 4-2 to England in their second Pool D match of the FIH Hockey World Cup at the Wagener Stadium in Amstelveen, Netherlands, on Monday. India had won their opener 3-1 against Wales. Dilpreet Singh gave India a 2-1 lead in the 25th minute, but England struck twice early in the second half to go 3-2 ahead, and then added a fourth goal. Captain Harmanpreet Singh scored his third goal of the tournament from a penalty corner.

Hindustan Times reports that India's defensive errors were costly, with England exploiting gaps in the backline. Coach Craig Fulton will look to address the defensive issues before the must-win match against Pakistan on Wednesday. Skipper Harmanpreet said, 'Without the ball, we made too many silly mistakes. That's a big learning for us going into the next match.' India have not lost to Pakistan in the last 19 meetings.

India's defeat makes the upcoming match against Pakistan crucial for their World Cup hopes. The team is also adjusting to life after the retirement of legendary goalkeeper PR Sreejesh, with HS Mohith and Suraj Karkera sharing goalkeeping duties. Dilpreet Singh's field goal was a positive sign, as India's earlier goals had all come from penalty corners.