Under a relentless downpour at the Gifu Prefectural Green Stadium in Kakamigahara, the Indian men’s hockey team weathered both — the rain and a fiercely resilient Japanese side to secure a 2-0 victory, booking their spot in the Asian Games semi-finals on Saturday.
India earned 11 PCs in the match.Though they only converted one, that singular strike was definitive. Despite India’s flowing counterattacks, Japan’s stifling defence kept the game deadlocked until the dying moments of the first quarter. In the 15th minute, Abhishek produced a moment of individual brilliance. Using his body intelligently to shield the ball, the forward sharply evaded three Japanese defenders before threading a push past goalkeeper Takashi Yoshikawa, drawing first blood just as the quarter expired. Stung by the deficit, Japan shifted into an all-out attack mode in the second quarter. The hosts continuously probed the Indian defence, forcing penalty corners (PC) and forcing the Indian backline to scramble. As the second half commenced, Japan’s intensity led to uncharacteristic and silly errors, gifting India multiple PCs and easy entries into the striking circle. In the 40th minute, drag-flicker Harmanpreet stepped up and unleashed a drag-flick of sheer brute force. Japanese keeper Takashi Yoshikawa had absolutely no chance as India doubled their advantage.
