Men’s Hockey Asian Champions Trophy: Japan stun Olympic bronze medallists India to enter final

By
Subhangi Chowdhury
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Dhaka: India had outplayed Japan 6-0 in the round-robin league, and Japan have avenged the defeat with an impressive performance. Defending champions on Tuesday suffered a 3-5 defeat against Japan in the semi-final of the Asian Champions Trophy men’s hockey tournament.

Japan got out to a fast start with a barrage of assaults and a penalty corner before building a two-goal lead. Although Indian goalie Surak Karkeda dived to his right, he was powerless to stop it. Yamada scored Japan’s opening goal in the first minute of the game, converting a penalty stroke. Following which in the second minute another goal by Japan in their 5th penalty corner of the game by Raiki Fujishama.

Dilpreet came up with a fine goal in a goal-mouth melee as India reduce the lead to 1-2 against Japan in the seventeenth minute. India once again lost the momentum after scoring their first goal as they conceded one more through a penalty stroke towards the closing stages of the first half.

Japan lead India 3-1 at the half-time break in the semi-final.

Japan have scored again to consolidate their lead to 4-1 against India. India opt for the referral but the video umpire denies it in the very beginning of the second half that is on 35th minute.

By the end of quarter 3, Japan lead India 5-1 after 45 minutes of play.

Harmanpreet Singh came up with a fine drag-flick to make it 2-5 against Japan. And at the closing minute of the encounter, Hardik scored to reduce India’s lead to 3-5 against Japan. Singh, who scored one to cut the lead in half, was the star of the fourth quarter. India scored one more goal thanks to a PC rebound, but their perfect streak came to an end with the loss to Japan.

Japan will now play Korea in the final while India take on arch-rivals Pakistan in the third-place play-off match on Wednesday.

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