Amstelveen [Netherlands], August 23 (ANI): Following a loss to the Netherlands in their first second-round FIH Men's Hockey World Cup match, Team India's semifinal chances took a hit, but Argentina's 3-1 win over England has kept them alive mathematically.
Team India is in Pool E with England, Netherlands and Argentina, and they carried the result of their first-round clash against England, another qualifying team from their opening round pool into the second round, starting the second round with zero wins and a loss. As per the tournament format, two teams qualifying from the opening pool carry forward their results against each other to the second round, and they do not face each other again in the second round either. A loss to the Netherlands sent them to the bottom of the points table, with two losses in two games. Their goal difference sits in the negatives, with minus four (scored three, conceded seven).
Now, at the top is the Netherlands, having won two matches and having six points. They have carried forward the first round win against Argentina, another qualifying team from their opening stage pool, into the second round, starting the second round with three points. The win against India gave them six points. Their goal difference is four (goals scored six, conceded two), as per ESPN.
At the second place is England with three points, who are carrying their first-round win against India in the second round, but have lost to Argentina. England's loss to Argentina has restricted them to three points with a game to go. They have a goal difference of zero (goals scored five, conceded five).
Argentina also carried their first round loss to the Netherlands in the second round, starting off with zero points. But a win over England has earned them three points with a game to go. They also have a goal difference of zero (goals scored four, conceded four).
Now, the equation for the semifinal hinges on the final match day, Monday, where Argentina takes on India and Netherlands takes on England. India needs to beat Argentina by at least two goals to earn their full three points, taking their goals scored to five and eliminating Argentina on basis of goals scored.
After that, they need Netherlands to defeat England by a big margin that it adversely effects their goal difference. In this way, Netherlands will top the table with nine points, achieving a perfect 3/3 record, India will be second with three points and a superior goal difference over England and Argentina, sending them both to the semifinals. (ANI)
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