India top points-table with four wins in a row

GUANGZHOU: Star drag-flicker Sandeep Singh continued his goal-scoring spree as India defeated Japan 3-2 for their fourth consecutive win and finished atop the points-table in group B of the Asian Games men’s hockey competition, on Sunday.

Sandeep kept a cent per cent record in penalty corners today, converting the two short corners India earned in the day with precision in the 38th and 62nd minute to see his team finish the preliminary stage on an impressive note.

However, it was captain Rajpal Singh (31st minute) who drew parity for India after Japan had surged ahead with a Hiroki Sakamoto strike in the 21st minute.

And then seven minutes later Sandeep converted the first of his two set pieces with a fierce drag-flick to ensure his team a 2-1 lead at the breather.

Crossing over, both the teams struggled hard for goals till the 62nd minute when Sandeep once again was bang on target from India’s second penalty corner.

Japan, however, pulled one back a minute later through another field strike from Sakamoto.

With four wins out of as many matches, India finished on top of Group B with 12 points, while arch-rivals Pakistan finished second with nine points.

India will now take on the second placed team from Group A — the winners of the match between China or Malaysia later in the day — in the semifinals on November 24 while Pakistan will be up against formidable Korea.