Rajgir (Bihar) [India], August 31 (ANI): The Indian Men’s Hockey Team continued their profitable kind within the Hero Men’s Asia Cup Rajgir Bihar 2025 with a 3-2 victory towards Japan of their second Pool A fixture on the Rajgir Hockey Stadium, in Rajgir, Bihar on Sunday.
Captain Harmanpreet Singh (5′, 46′) and Mandeep Singh (4′) scored objectives for India whereas Kosei Kawabe (38′,59′) scored a brace for Japan. With this win, India has secured a spot within the Super 4s stage as they progress forward within the event. The match additionally marked an necessary milestone for Indian goalkeeper Krishan B Pathak as he celebrated his a hundred and fiftieth worldwide sport.
India made a shiny begin to the primary quarter, scoring two back-to-back objectives within the first 5 minutes to claim their dominance. In the fourth minute, Sukhjeet Singh collected the ball on the baseline and performed an ideal move to Mandeep Singh (4′) as he beat his marker in entrance of the objective and completed it into the online to open the scoring, as per a Hockey India press launch.
In the very subsequent minute, India gained their first Penalty Corner of the day, and after two retakes, Captain Harmanpreet Singh (5′) fired a robust shot that struck the Japanese goalkeeper’s foot and went into the objective to extend the house facet’s lead. Japan too gained a Penalty Corner within the thirteenth minute, nevertheless, it did not quantity to something.
Japan improved upon their efficiency within the second quarter as we noticed end-to-end motion between the 2 sides, however India’s resilient defence ensured the lead remained intact. In the nineteenth minute, Japan got here near scoring as Ryosuke Shinohara dribbled down the center and fired a backhand shot which went narrowly extensive. Japan gained their second penalty nook within the twenty fourth minute, however Jarmanpreet saved it on the road and cleared it away for a retake, which was finally stopped by India. India gained their second penalty nook in direction of the tip of the primary half, however Amit Rohidas could not discover the goal along with his drag flick.
Japan discovered their first objective within the third quarter as Kosei Kawabe (38′) did effectively to gather a troublesome move contained in the circle and adopted it with an angular shot, discovering the underside proper nook previous the keeper. After the objective, Japan had a spring of their steps as they began attacking aggressively in quest of an equaliser, however India ensured their managed the possession and tempo of the sport to not give away one other objective. With simply seconds left within the quarter, India gained an important Penalty Corner, which was transformed superbly by Captain Harmanpreet Singh (46′) by the goalkeeper’s legs to reclaim the two-goal cushion for India.
In the opening minutes of the ultimate quarter, Japan gained a Penalty Corner however have been met with two unimaginable back-to-back saves by Indian gaolkeeper Suraj Karkera. Moments later Abhishek did effectively to search out house contained in the circle from the proper as he struck a robust backhand shot in direction of objective nevertheless it was saved effectively by the Japanese keeper. In the dying moments of the match, Japan’s Kosei Kawabe (59′) struck his second objective of the day as he gained the ball on the rebound contained in the circle and scored previous the keeper to scale back the deficit. Captain Harmanpreet Singh was given a yellow card within the last minute as India have been all the way down to 10 males, however they slowed down the proceedings and held their floor to guard the slim lead and emerge victorious.
India will tackle Kazakhstan of their subsequent match within the Men’s Asia Cup, Rajgir, Bihar 2025, on Monday, September 1. (ANI)