india vs Japan Hockey World Cup 2023: India beat Japan 8-0!

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India's unstoppable offense puts on a clinic, securing a commanding 8 goal victory.

🇯🇵JPN 0-8 IND🇮🇳#IndiaKaGame #HockeyIndia #HWC2023 #StarsBecomeLegends #HockeyWorldCup #INDvsJAP @CMO_Odisha @sports_odisha @IndiaSports @Media_SAI pic.twitter.com/aCUHoDpICq
— Hockey India (@TheHockeyIndia) January 26, 2023

FULL-TIME: INDIA 8 -0 JAPAN

The Indians struggled to find goals in the first half largely on account of Tahashi Yoshikawa's heroics but came into their own to score seven in the second half!!

Harmapreet Singh seems to be coming good with his PCs finally!!

Mandeep Singh, Abhishek (2), Vivek Sagar Prasad, Harmanpreet Singh (2), Manpreet Singh, and Sukhjeet SIngh all get their names on the scoresheet!!

India will play South Africa for a 9th-12th place classification game on Saturday!

59' India 8- 0 Japan

Sukhjeet Singh scores off a rebound and the Indians have two PC goals seconds apart!!!

59' Fujishima takes a tumble as the Indians earn another PC !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Play is held up!! India have a follow-up PC!

59' India 7 -0 Japan

Vivek stops - Harmanpreet scores - what an encore as the Indians have their seventh in the bag!!!!!!!!!!!

59' The Indians do earn a PC seconds later - in search of a seventh!!

No advice possible and the Indians lose their referral

58' The Indians want a PC for a backstick - what will the verdict be???

India 6 - 0 Japan

57' Nilakanta and Akashdeep combine - Akashdeep Singh fails to score - Manpreet SIngh makes no such mistake!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

56' A midfield tussle ensues with both sides looking a bit scrappy - the Men in Blue win the battle, Abhishek fails to control one in the attacking circle

54' Jarmanpreet Singh keeping two Japanese strikers at bay as he is holed up in a pocket near the Indian circle - the Indians clear and attempt to retain possession in midfield

52' The visitors up the ante but fail to beat the Indian deep defence - Sukhjeet Singh sprints away after stealing the ball - dispossessed!!!

50' Mandeep Singh in the thick of the action but fails to beat a Japanese defender as the Samurai try the right flank - unable to make headway though

48' Akashdeep converts defence into attack after the Japanese surrender possession - get it back again - Ooka was in the right place at the right time but failed to deflect a cross towards the Indian goal!

47' The Red Shirts attempt to stitch a few passes together - seem to have lose their fluency in the second half though!!

46' India 5 - 0 Japan

Harmanpreet Singh unleashes a lethal flick!!! India on fire at the Birsa Munda Stadium!!

46' India begin Q4 with purpose - earn a PC off a quick attack

END OF Q3: INDIA 4 - 0 JAPAN

What did Graham Reid tell his chargers in the long break? The Indians looks a side transformed as they pile on the pressure - and pile on the goals as well much to the delight of the Rourkela crowd!!!!

Goals from Vivek Sagar Prasad and Abhishek in Q3

How many more can India score in Q4??

43' India 4 - 0 Japan

The Indians try a clever variation, but fail to pull it off - Abhishek, however, scores India's fourth with a scorcher of a reverse!! Wowww!!!

43' Mandeep Singh wants to go upstairs - India want a PC !!! But Japan take the referral instead - and lose the referral - India have PC!!

41' The Men in Blue have a chance to create more but lose the ball in the attacking third!!! The Indians with a spring in their feet after a flurry of goals

39' India 3 - 0 Japan

Valiant effort from Shota Yamada as India have a follow-up PC!! Vivek scores India's third off a PC rebound!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

39' The Japanese switch flanks in an attempt to penetrate the striking circle, the Indians mop up - Mandeep Singh misses a sitter at the other end but India earn a PC!!!

38' Long corner for Japan after the Indians manage to defend the short corner

37' Japan have a chance to reduce the deficit - Amit Rohidas concedes a PC

india 2 -0 Japan

35' VIVEK FINDS AN UNMARKED ABHISHEK - ALL HE NEEDS TO DO IS NEATLY DISPATCH THE BALL INTO THE NET OFF A REVERSE!!!!

33' The Japanese try and manufacture a quick response, Harmanpreet Singh has other ideas though

india 1 - 0 Japan

MANDEEP SINGH SCORES MUCH LIKE A POACHER OFF THAT PC EFFORT !!!!!!!!!

PC for India - their fourth - can the Men in Blue open the scoring???

32' India with an early attack to begin Q3 - manage to enter the attacking circle - India want a PC!!

It's all square at halftime. Stay tuned for an exciting second half.

🇯🇵JPN 0-0 IN🇮🇳#IndiaKaGame #HockeyIndia #HWC2023 #StarsBecomeLegends #HockeyWorldCup #INDvsJAP @CMO_Odisha @sports_odisha @IndiaSports @Media_SAI pic.twitter.com/ANgNUTci1d
— Hockey India (@TheHockeyIndia) January 26, 2023

INDIA 0 - 0 JAPAN (HALF-TIME)

Japanese goalkeeper Takashi Yoshikawa has almost singlehandedly disallowed the Indians from opening the scoring at the Birsa Munda Stadium while Samurai Japan have come dangerously close to scoring themselves.

Three PCs for the Indians, two for Japan even as the Indians enjoyed 59% possession in the first half!!!!

India unable to make headway yet, even in the classification game!!

Can Harmanpreet SIngh and co. change the script in the second half???

28' The pace of the match slackens just a bit as the Red Shirts lose the ball in their own half, India unable to make that one count in the attacking third

26' Shamsher Singh misses this time - India try to build patiently but the end result is the same - India start over!!!!!

25' Jarmanpreet Singh angles one in as none of the Men in Blue lie in wait in front of goal after a promising move

23' Sreejesh takes a tumble as the Japanese come close to scoring - does well to clear that one out of danger

22' Abhishek tries a clever solo run, tries to get one past Takashi all by himself, fails to beat the Japanese goalie though!!

21' Takashi denies Lalit Upadhaya who attempts a tomahawk in vain

20' Sreejesh manages to keep that one out as the Japanese looking more dangerous with every passing minute!!

19' India iive dangerously as the Samurai push numbers forward into the India circle - the Indian defence scramble and keep that one away from the vicinity of goal

18' Akashdeep and Surender Kumar try the left flank but unable to penetrate the deep defence

17' India unable to convert even as Ohashi Masaki leaves the pitch after a valiant PC stop

16' Japan have their first PC - Pathak equal to the task but the Samurai have a follow up PC

Quick counter - Akashdeep tries a reverse - India have a PC at the other end!!

End of Q1: India 0 - Japan 0

Japanese goalkeeper Takashi Yoshikawa stands between India and their opening goal - while the Red Shirts haven't been shy to take on the mighty hosts in Rourkela

All to play for in Q2

14' Fantastic effort from Abhishek - but the Indians fail to find the back of the net!!

14' Raj Kumar Pal yet again - fails to deflect one goalwards as the Indians hunt in vain!!

13' Tomahawk from Raj Kumar Pal - Takashi Yoshikawa saves that one!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

12' India make a mess of the PC that leads to a lighting counter from Japan - no damage done

Shamsher on the spot as India have a follow up PC