K. ARUMUGAM

Never has India lost to Japan in the annals of the Asian Games. What made today’s encounter between the two regulars to the genre of competition since 1958 is that its for the first time Japan entered the field as defending champions. The question therefore was will they be able to turn the tables on India?

Hockey world has got the answer in a resounding way.

India had won Japan in all the 14 previous encounters including epoch making last Jakarta edition where Japan won the title for the first time, but not before losing to India humiliatingly in the pool state (0-8)!

The neo-image of Japan did not matter today for the charged up Harmanpreet Singh’s team. From the word go India dominated the proceedings held in front of full stands, which amazingly supported the Indians full throat.

It was as if the Indians were playing home, such was the scenario in the picturesque Gonshu Canal Park stadium in Hangzhou, China.

That the fact that last edition bronze medallist India was 4-0 till 50th minutes of the game present the domineering show of India. With excellent support from midfield where Manpreet Singh and Hardik Singh alternatively kept the Koreans under check while supplying forward passes aplenty.

However, it was Japan who got the first break when they got the math’s first penalty corner, which Manpreet Singh has effectively charged out.

Then on India was on rampage. Its aggressive strategy with accurate display by the Indians. The fourth goal that came in the 50th minute mirrored the ultimate winners’ aggressiveness  and accuracy.

Indian midfield where Hardik and Manpreet excel, saw a fast ball reachnig Mandeep on the right of the net. His quick body swerve were such that the goalie had to cover his angle and so also all the defenders. However, sensing he is overpowered, selfless Mandeep sent the ball to Abhishek who with extraordinary sense of positioning received it in front of the empty net to slip the ball in. This evoked goody response from the crowd, definitely a golden moment for the domineering Indians.

Abhishek it was who gave the lead in the 13th minute.

Eleven minutes later after India missed a couple of attacks, Mandeep added another one, to go for lemon time happily.

The change of sides did not affect, India entirely dominated the Q3 in which Amit Rohidas showcased his PC skills to take India to unassailable 3-0 lead.

Then the Abhishek thing happened.

Even as India was cruising along for a landslide victory, Japanese woke up. Struck twice in the space of four minutes, the last one coming in through Ryosi Kata with just 30 seconds left in the clock.

The two quick goals would have given the Japanese, the depending champions to look up in the coming matches and come second in the pool, and stay counted.

But, today belonged to India.