India surrendered a two-goal advantage after half-time as England staged a strong comeback to secure a 4-2 victory in their second Pool D match of the FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup 2026 at the Wagener Stadium on Monday.
India looked in control during the opening half and went into the interval with a 2-1 lead. However, England turned the match around after the break, scoring three times across the third and fourth quarters.
The defeat extended India’s wait for a World Cup victory over England to 32 years. India’s last World Cup win against England came in 1994.
England’s second-half surge helped them maintain their perfect record in Pool D, with two wins from two matches. India, meanwhile, have one win and one defeat.
Despite India’s slight advantage in possession at 51 per cent and 11 shots on goal compared to England’s 10, the European side proved more clinical in the decisive moments.
India had opened their campaign with a 3-1 victory over Wales, while England had defeated Pakistan 4-1 in their opening match.
The result leaves India second in Pool D with three points. Harmanpreet Singh and Co. will next face arch-rivals Pakistan, while England will take on Wales.
India will look to bounce back in their final pool match as they continue their pursuit of a second World Cup title. The team last won the tournament in 1975 and finished ninth in the 2023 edition in Bhubaneswar.
