S2H TEAM
JALANDHAR: India’s first penalty corner of the match finally broke Japan’s stubborn resistance, with captain Harmanpreet Singh delivering a decisive drag-flick in the 47th minute to set the hosts on course for a 4-1 victory — India’s third in as many as matches — of the Asian Champions Trophy at the Olympian Surjit Singh Hockey Stadium on Friday. This also marked India’s non-stop 15th victory in the annals of the tournament.
Vishnukant Singh struck beautiful solo goal off a overhad from Harmanpreet to settle the issue in favour of India
Japan, a team with World Cup and Asian Games experience, had frustrated the higher-ranked Indians for nearly three quarters with disciplined defending. Remarkably, the Japanese did not concede a single penalty corner until the fourth quarter, when Harmanpreet made them pay for the first opportunity India earned.
The breakthrough came as a huge relief for the hosts, who had struggled to find a way past Japan’s well-organised defence. Once Harmanpreet’s powerful drag-flick found the net, the resistance that had kept India at bay for so long began to crumble.
India had taken an early lead through Abhishek in the 11th minute. In-form forward Sukhjeet Singh produced a gem of a pass from the baseline, allowing Abhishek to tap the ball home. The goal appeared to promise another comfortable outing for India after their record-breaking 13-0 victory over Bangladesh in the opening match.
Japan, however, refused to be overwhelmed by India’s reputation or the vociferous home crowd. They gradually grew into the contest, combining defensive discipline with occasional attacking threats.
Their persistence paid off when they earned their fourth penalty corner, having failed to convert the first three. The resulting episode proved contentious, as Japanese pressure led to a penalty stroke against India. Defender Sanjay maintained that the ball had not struck his body, but India’s video referral failed to overturn the decision.
Japan converted the stroke to draw level, taking the match into half-time at 1-1.
The Japanese continued to frustrate India after the interval, maintaining their defensive shape and denying the hosts clear opportunities. For nearly three quarters, their rearguard held firm, making the contest considerably more difficult than India might have anticipated.
Harmanpreet turns the tide
The crucial penalty corner in the 47th minute changed the course of the match. Harmanpreet, once again demonstrating his importance as a game changer, unleashed a powerful drag-flick to restore India’s lead.
The burly captain’s intervention shifted the momentum decisively in India’s favour. With Japan’s defensive wall finally breached, the hosts found greater freedom to attack and began exploiting the spaces that opened up.
Abhishek struck his second goal in the 51st minute, extending India’s advantage, before Vishnukant Singh added another in the 56th minute to complete the 4-1 victory.
The scoreline ultimately reflected India’s late dominance, but Japan deserve credit for making the hosts work hard for their success. Their resistance demonstrated that they could challenge Asia’s leading teams through organisation and determination.
For India, the victory maintained their winning momentum, while Harmanpreet’s decisive contribution once again underlined the value of an outstanding penalty-corner specialist in tight international contests.
Scorers — India: Abhishek (11th, 51st), Harmanpreet Singh (47th), Vishnukant Singh (56th). Japan: Penalty stroke.