Last Update: January 26, 2023, 22:24 IST
India beat Japan 8-0 in the classification match of the FIH World Cup 2023 in Odisha (FIH)
Abhishek and Harmanpreet Singh scored a goal each, while Mandeep Singh, Vivek Sagar, Manpreet Singh and Sukhjit Singh were the other scorers as India ran riot against a hapless Japanese at the Birsa Munda Stadium in Rourkela.
Criticised skipper Harmanpreet Singh eventually did well with his drag flick as he and young striker Abhishek shared a brace. India thrashed reigning Asian Games champions Japan 8-0 in minor FIH men’s section World Cup classification match here on Thursday.
India, who were knocked out of the showpiece event after losing to New Zealand in their crossover match, played at their best but it was too late in the tournament.
The hosts, who scored four goals each in the third and fourth quarters, will now take on South Africa in the ninth to 12th place match on Saturday.
Harmanpreet (46th and 59th minutes) struck twice from penalty corners in the fourth quarter, giving him a boost of confidence after repeated failures with his drag-flicks throughout the tournament. They had taken most of India’s 26 pc ahead of Thursday’s classification match.
They captured most of the 11 pc earned by India on Thursday.
He had also scored once before with his drag-flick in the dying moments of the final Pool D match against Wales, but this happened after the opponents had substituted the goalkeeper for an outfield player.
Abhishek, 23, who goes by his first name, scored both field goals in the 36th and 44th minutes, while Mandeep Singh (33rd), Vivek Sagar Prasad (40th), Manpreet Singh (59th) and Sukhjit Singh (59th) scored. scored goals 60th) was the other goalscorer for India.
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After a goalless first half, India scored four goals in the third quarter and added four more in the fourth quarter in a one-sided match where the hosts had more than 60 per cent possession.
A full capacity crowd thronged the Birsa Munda Stadium to watch the classification match and the spectators witnessed one of the most convincing home team wins of the tournament.
India dominated the first quarter with more circle penetration. The home team earned back-to-back PCs in the 12th minute but Harmanpreet could not find the target in either. Raj Kumar Pal struck a powerful reverse hit in the 14th minute but missed the target.
Abhishek had a golden opportunity with seconds left in the first quarter but his shot was blocked by Japanese goalkeeper Yoshikawa Takashi.
Japan earned back-to-back PCs as the second quarter began but wasted both.
India quickly counter-attacked and Akashdeep Singh’s snapshot from the top of the striking circle was again blocked by Takashi. Harmanpreet then wasted India’s third PC.
Lalit Upadhyay once again found the Japanese goal but Takashi denied India once again.
At half-time, India had at least 16 circle penetrations, while Japan had nine, but that dominance did not translate into goals.
India scored through a penalty corner three minutes into the third quarter. Amit Rohidas’ push was converted by Mandeep Singh for his first goal of the tournament.
Three minutes later, Abhishek made it 2–0 as his reverse sweep from Vivek Sagar Prasad’s pass beat the Japanese goalkeeper.
India’s dominance continued to grow as the hosts took the game out of Japan’s reach with their third goal from their sixth PC in the 40th minute.
Prasad scored his first goal in the World Cup after Harmanpreet’s drag flick bounced off the defender’s stick.
A minute before the end of the third quarter, Abhishek completed his brace as his high reverse shot hit the net after a pass by Prasad.
Harmanpreet finally found the target with her drag-flick in the first minute of the fourth quarter as India continued their scoring spree.
Senior players Manpreet and Sukhjeet joined the party with goals at the end of the match.
In other classification matches here, South Africa beat Malaysia 6–3 while debutant Wales beat France 2–1 in a penalty shootout to record their first World Cup win after the two sides were tied 2–0 at the end of regulation time. were tied at 2.
Wales will face Argentina, who thrashed neighbors Chile 8-0 in another classification match, in the ninth-to-12th place match on Saturday.
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(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed)