Under-fire captain Harmanpreet Singh lastly got here good together with his drag flick as he and younger striker Abhishek struck a brace every as India demolished Asian Games champions Japan 8-0 in an inconsequential FIH Men’s World Cup classification match in Rourkela on Thursday. India, who had made a shock exit from the showpiece occasion after dropping to New Zealand of their crossover match, performed their finest recreation nevertheless it got here too late within the match. The hosts, who scored 4 targets every within the third and fourth quarters, will now play South Africa within the ninth to twelfth place match on Saturday.
Harmanpreet (forty sixth and 59th minutes) struck twice within the fourth quarter off penalty corners, which ought to enhance his confidence a bit after repeated failures together with his drag flick all through the match. He had taken most of India’s 26 PCs earlier than Thursday’s classification match.
He additionally took the vast majority of the 11 PCs India earned on Thursday.
He had additionally scored as soon as earlier from his drag flick within the dying moments of the ultimate Pool D match towards Wales, however that was after the opponents had taken out the goalkeeper in lieu of an outfield participant.
The 23-year-old Abhishek, recognized solely by his first identify, scored within the thirty sixth and forty fourth minutes — each discipline targets — whereas Mandeep Singh (thirty third), Vivek Sagar Prasad (fortieth), Manpreet Singh (59th) and Sukhjeet Singh (sixtieth) had been the opposite goal-getters for India.
After a goalless first half, India scored 4 targets within the third quarter and added 4 extra within the fourth in a lopsided match, the place greater than 60 per cent possession was with the hosts.
A full-capacity crowd turned up on the Birsa Munda Stadium to observe the classification match and the spectators had been handled to the house aspect’s most convincing win within the match.
India had been the dominant aspect within the first quarter with extra circle penetration. The house aspect earned back-to-back PCs within the twelfth minute however Harmanpreet couldn’t rating from each. Raj Kumar Pal struck a robust reverse hit within the 14th minute however missed the goal.
Abhishek had a golden likelihood with a number of seconds left within the first quarter however his shot was blocked by Japanese goalkeeper Yoshikawa Takashi.
Japan earned back-to-back PCs simply because the second quarter began however wasted each.
India shortly counter-attacked and Akashdeep Singh’s snapshot from the highest of the putting circle was once more blocked by Takashi. Harmanpreet then wasted India’s third PC.
Lalit Upadhyay had one other go on the Japanese objective however Takashi was at it, denying India but once more.
India had no less than 16 circle penetrations until the half time as towards 9 by Japan however that domination did no translate into targets.
India scored three minutes after the beginning of third quarter from a penalty-corner variation. Amit Rohidas’ push was deflected into the objective by Mandeep Singh for his first objective of the match.
Three minutes later, Abhishek made it 2-0 as his reverse sweep off a fantastic move from Vivek Sagar Prasad beat the Japanese goalkeeper.
India’s dominance continued to develop because the hosts took the sport away from Japan’s attain with their third objective within the fortieth minute from their sixth PC.
Prasad scored his maiden World Cup objective after Harmanpreet’s drag flick ricocheted from a defender’s stick.
Abhishek accomplished his brace a minute earlier than the top of the third quarter as his excessive reverse shot following a move from Prasad discovered the web.
Harmanpreet lastly discovered the goal together with his drag flick within the first minute of the fourth quarter as India continued their goal-scoring spree.
Senior participant Manpreet and Sukhjeet joined the celebration with targets in the direction of the top of the match.
In different classification matches right here, South Africa beat Malaysia 6-3 whereas debutants Wales defeated France 2-1 within the penalty shootout to register their maiden World Cup win after the perimeters had been locked 2-2 on the finish of regulation time.
Wales will face Argentina, who hammered neighbours Chile 8-0 in one other classification match, within the ninth to twelfth place match on Saturday.
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