Experimental Japan experience the heat of young Indians at Asian Champions Trophy.
Both teams are young and experimenting, yet the young Indian team at Muscat could maintain the awe-inspiring show that their Jakarta counterparts set in. With rhythmic attacks, goals came for at regular intervals for the defending Champions India against the Asian Games Gold medallists.
Manpreet Singh’s energy, Akashdeep Singh’s athleticism and every other’s precise game ensured India secure 9-0 win over Japan that has half a dozen new faces on the international arena.
All that Japan could do was to get two consecutive penalty corners in the entire match while India, besides sharp in the shooting circle, converted three of the five penalty corners too.
Attacking from the word go, India piled up goals at regular intervals, though some of the missing may not have escaped the goal-hungry Harendra Singh, the Indian coach.
Mandeep Singh started the goal spree as early as fourth minute, and then added two more in the last quarter. Interestingly, India struck two goals when played with a man less — Dilpreet Singh was yellow carded — in the third quarter.
Harmanpreet converted easily a stroke that came after a rebound off penalty corner was tackled bodily by a defender. Shortly later, he placed his flick to the left corner to add another feather in his cap.
Akashdeep Singh was in the thick of things, much like his captain Manpreet Singh.
GOAL SEQUENCE
Mandeep Field Goal 1 – 0
Gurjant Field Goal 2 – 0
Harmanpreet Penalty Stroke 3 – 0
Harmanpreet Penalty Corner 4 – 0
Akashdeep Field Goal 5 – 0
SUMIT Field Goal 6 – 0
UPADHYAY Lalit Field Goal 7 – 0
Mandeep Penalty Corner 8 – 0
Mandeep