Johannesburg: India suffered a dramatic 4-3 loss against Belgium, who scored the winner in the last minute of the high-intensity final on Sunday to win the Champions Challenge-I hockey tournament here.
India led 1-0 at half-time and were at one time ahead by 3-1 deep into the second half, but Belgium scored thrice in the last 10 minutes to catch the Indian defence napping.
India had reached the final by defeating hosts South Africa on Saturday, where drag-flicker Sandeep Singh converted two penalty corners in a 4-2 win to set up title clash with Belgium.
Tom Boon scored the winner and in the process became the joint top scorer of the tournament along with Justin Reid Ross of South Africa with eight goals.
For India, V.R.Raghunath (23rd minute), Sandeep Singh (41th) and Shivender Singh (54) scored. Belgium, who defeated Argentina in a tense shoot-out for a place in the final, responded through Jerome Dekeyser's brace (44th, 57th) and Gauthier Boccard's strike (55th)before Boon (70th) separated the two teams.
Sandeep finished with seven goals, all through penalty corners, and won the Player of the Tournament award.
But it was hardly a consolation for India as their propensity to concede last minute goals came back to haunt them.
Belgium, who have already made it to the London Olympics, also qualified for next December's champions Trophy in Australia.
Belgium's Australian coach Colin Batch was over the moon with the win.
"I am really happy. We fought back in the match. It was not easy. We have beaten one of the top teams of the world in the final,'' Batch said.
Earlier, hosts South Africa beat Argentina 3-1 to win the bronze.
A 68h minute goal by Lloyd Norris-Jones settled the contest in favour of South Africa, who were under intense pressure from Pan-American champions Argentina late in the second session .
(With Agency inputs)
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