India continued their winning run in the men’s Asian Champions Trophy hockey tournament with a convincing 4-1 victory over Japan on Friday. Striker Abhishek Nain scored twice as the five-time champions registered their third consecutive win in the tournament.India had started their campaign with a 13-0 win over Bangladesh before beating China 5-2. Japan, meanwhile, had defeated South Korea 3-2 and Bangladesh 1-0 in their first two matches.Abhishek (11th, 51st minutes) scored two field goals, while captain Harmanpreet Singh (47th) converted India’s only penalty corner of the match. Vishnukant Singh (56th) also scored a field goal.Shota Yamada (15th) scored Japan’s only goal through a penalty stroke.Asian Games champions India will next take on Malaysia on Sunday. India had defeated Malaysia 5-1 at the recent Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games. Japan will face China in their next match.
Abhishek gives India the lead, Japan hit back
Japan started the match with more possession and put early pressure on the Indian defence. They earned a penalty corner in the second minute, but Ken Nagayoshi’s attempt from a variation went wide.India took some time to settle into the match. There was a lack of coordination between the midfield and forward line, with vice-captain Hardik Singh doing most of the work without much support.With Mandeep Singh missing the match, the Indian forwards also struggled to create clear scoring chances.However, India broke the deadlock in the 11th minute through a well-worked field goal.Hardik started the move and found Sukhjeet Singh inside the circle near the left corner. Sukhjeet then passed the ball to Abhishek, who was playing his 150th international match. Abhishek made no mistake and guided the ball into the goal to give India a 1-0 lead.Japan responded by earning another penalty corner, but their attempt went wide.They continued to put pressure on India and earned two more penalty corners in the final seconds of the first quarter. The second attempt led to a penalty stroke after the ball hit Sanjay’s body. Shota Yamada converted it past Indian goalkeeper Suraj Karkera to make it 1-1.
Japan’s defence keeps India quiet
Japan defended in numbers and made it difficult for the Indian attackers to find space inside the circle.Their man-to-man marking was effective, and India struggled to create clear chances. The teams went into the half-time break with the scores level at 1-1.India did not win a single penalty corner in the first half.Three minutes into the third quarter, Hardik created a good chance for Sukhjeet, but the forward’s shot from inside the circle went over the goal.Japan continued to play well and earned their fourth penalty corner in the 36th minute. However, captain Raiki Fujishima’s flick went over the post.India also came close to scoring when Shilanand Lakra tried a reverse hit after receiving a defence-splitting pass from Amit Rohidas. But Japanese goalkeeper Takumi Kitagawa made the save.
Harmanpreet, Abhishek and Vishnukant seal India’s win
With the scores still level at 1-1 after three quarters, India stepped up their attack in the final 15 minutes.The hosts earned their first penalty corner of the match in the 46th minute. Captain Harmanpreet Singh made the opportunity count with a powerful low flick to put India ahead 2-1.The goal gave India some breathing room, and the forwards began putting Japan’s defence under constant pressure.Abhishek scored his second goal of the match in the 51st minute after another good attacking move, extending India’s lead to 3-1.Vishnukant Singh then added another goal four minutes before the final hooter. He received a perfectly placed aerial pass from Harmanpreet and finished the move to make it 4-1.India held on to their three-goal advantage to register their third straight victory in the tournament.
