Kakamigahara [Japan], May 31 (ANI): The Indian U-18 Men’s Hockey Team suffered a 2-4 defeat in opposition to hosts Japan of their U-18 Asia Cup 2026 Pool A fixture in Kakamigahara, Japan, on Sunday.
Ashish Tani Purti (25′) and Captain Ketan Kushwaha (32′) scored the 2 objectives for India, whereas Captain Yoshioka Mahiro (15′), Fujiwara Yuma (20′), Yasui Kengo (34′) and Takahashi Aone (42′) had been the objective scorers for Japan, in keeping with a press launch.
It was a tightly contested first quarter, with each side preventing for possession in midfield. However, Japan broke the impasse within the fifteenth minute. The residence workforce executed a well-worked variation as Watanabe Atsuhiro handed the ball again to the injector, Captain Yoshioka Mahiro (15′), who scored with a diving end.
Moments later within the second quarter, Fujiwara Yuma (20′) discovered area on the left flank, beat his marker and struck a robust backhand shot into the highest proper nook of the objective to double the house facet’s lead. Five minutes later, India received their first penalty nook of the day, which was efficiently transformed courtesy of a well-placed shot by Ashish Tani Purti (25′) to cut back the deficit earlier than halftime.
India began the second half strongly with a fast equaliser within the thirty second minute. The guests secured a penalty nook, which was initially saved by the Japanese goalkeeper. However, Japan did not clear the ball in time, and Captain Ketan Kushwaha (32′) pounced on the unfastened ball in entrance of the objective and chipped it previous the goalkeeper to stage the sport.
Japan received one other penalty nook within the thirty fourth minute, which was once more transformed via a variation. This time, Watanabe Atsuhiro performed a robust go to Yasui Kengo (34′), who tapped the ball into the online. With three minutes left within the third quarter, Japan prolonged their lead additional via a subject objective from Takahashi Aone (42′).
India launched a number of assaults within the ultimate quarter in an try to get again into the sport, however Japan held their floor and ensured they protected their objective in the direction of the tip of the fixture and secured three factors.
India will subsequent face Korea on June 1 at 3:30 PM IST as they give the impression of being to bounce again within the match. (ANI)