After a goal spectacle, the German hockey world champions also lost the second duel against hosts India at the Pro League in Rourkela.
Against the record Olympic champion, the team of national coach Andre Henning went swimming in Rourkela, India, on Monday despite an early lead with 3: 6 (2: 4). Three days earlier, the men of the German Hockey Association (DHB) had lost out at 2:3.
Grambusch with early DHB leadership
Tom Grambusch (2nd) quickly brought the DHB selection in front. But from the second quarter, coordination problems and lack of concentration in the holey German defense increased. The result: India pulled away until half-time, despite Gonzalo Peillat’s 2-2 equalizer (22′).
In the second half, Malte Hellwig (31′) reduced the deficit shortly after the restart, but India struck back in the final section and scored twice more to decide the game.
Preparation for the home EM
The games in the top-class Pro League serve to prepare the German team for the home European Championships in Mönchengladbach (18th to 27th August).
In the fourth and final game in Rourkela, the world champion, who celebrated their third title after 2002 and 2006 in Bhubaneswar, India at the end of January, meets their semi-final opponent Australia on Tuesday (2:40 p.m.). Germany won the first showdown 1-0 on Saturday.
