Belgium beat India for the first time in Olympic hockey on Tuesday, getting a 3-0 victory.
The Belgians finished third in Pool B behind semifinalists the Netherlands and Germany, securing a playoff for fifth-sixth and their highest placing in the Olympics since the 1928 Amsterdam Games, where they were fourth.
India, the faded eight-time gold medallist, was already assured of its worst Olympic result before its fifth straight pool loss. India will face South Africa to avoid 12th and last place.
Jerome Dekeyser lashed in the first goal, high to the far post after 15 minutes, his third of the games and a 182-match career. Gauthier Boccard made it 2-0 in the 46th when Tom Boon’s shot bounced off a defender’s foot and the defence hesitated. Boccard casually reclaimed the ball and whacked it home. Boon finished off the scoring in the 67th, blasting a backhand running away from the defence.
