Welcome to the live coverage of the India vs Japan Asian Champions Trophy match.
Follow the highlights of the India vs Japan Asian Champions Trophy match here
Welcome to the live coverage of the India vs Japan Asian Champions Trophy match.
Meanwhile, Korea and Pakistan have settled for a 2-2 draw in today's first match. Korea was leading 1-0 till the very last minute before Pakistan struck twice within thirty seconds to take the lead. Korea got the last goal with eight seconds remaining on the clock to tie score. Brilliant match of hockey.
We will soon begin. Here is how you can stream the match live.
Here we go then!
The national anthems are over and so is the countdown. It is India who begin the game. And they are on attack straightaway. No problems for Japan though.
13' INDIA SCORE!!!!
India are ahead straightaway. A ball lobbed into the D to Sukhjeet Singh and makes no mistake and puts that one straight into the Japanese goal.
13' INDIA SCORE AGAIN!!!!!!
Dream beginning for India against Japan. With two minutes, India are now two goals ahead. Another ariel ball straight to Abhishek at the edge of the D. Some good stick work and Abhishek has slammed it straight into the goalpost. India double their lead. Japan totally stunned.
7' India in total control in this match against Japan. The game is being played consistently in the Japanese half. Indians putting a lot of pressure and Japan trying to slow the game a bit.
2' Japan get a PC
Japan get the first penalty corner in the match. First real chance for Japan today. Good defence from India but another PC awarded to Japan. Harmanpreet wants a review and it has been referred.
India keep their referral but PC call upheld for Japan. No problems for Krishna Bahadur Pathak, the Indian goalkeeper. Poor shot from Japan and the ball is cleared. Japan unsuccessful despite back-to-back PCs.
The first fifteen minutes of the match are done and it is India who are in command. The Indian team came out all guns blazing, shooting two goals within the first two minutes of the game and the score has remained that way since.
The second quarter is underway. India have changed their goalkeeper and Suraj Karkare is now in the goal as a substitute to Krishna Bahadur Pathak.
13' PC for India and India score!
India score through a PC and they have scored. And it is not Harmanpreet Singh who has taken this drag flick it is Sanjay. He gets a bullet out of his drag flick and the ball has deflected off a Japanese defender's stick into the goal. Sanjay scores and India go three up in the game.
9' Japan get a PC
Indian goalkeeper Suraj Karkare stands tall as manages to get an easy clearance of that drag flick. Japan continue to remain goalless. India get the ball and make an attack on the counter but can not convert it into either a goal or even a PC.
6' India continue to keep Japan under pressure. Continous attacks after attacks from the Indian side and Japan's defence have somehow managed to keep the scoreline at 3-0. Jugraj Singh meanwhile handed a green card. He will be out for two minutes. Abhishek too is out with a green card.
2' Indian defenders have made it really difficult for the Japanese players to make attacking moves. Really good defence from India while Japan need to find a way. Their attack has not looked threatening at all.
So, that is the half-time. India 3-0 Japan. Traffic has moved only one way in this games so far. Indians have continued to attack and attack and even while Japan have done well, they have conceded thrice. That is how good India have been today. In the defence too the Indian team has been very well organised giving Japan no chance to breach it. Sukhjeet Singh, Abhishek and Sanjay are the three scorers of the game.
Krishna Bahadur Pathak is back in the goal for Suraj Karkera. India have switched between the two every quarter so far at the Asian Champions Trophy.
9' Vivek Prasad smashes the goal post. Absolutely brilliant from Prasad there right from the edge of the D. Stunning shot, went like a bullet out of his hockey stick and hit the goal post hard. Brilliant effort but will bear no reward.
Japan, on the counter, get a shot but it is deflected by their own player above the goalpost.
4' Japan score!!!
So, the good work finally pays off for Japan. They have looked good in this quarter but could not create enough chances and here is one chance that they have managed to convert into goal. Kazumasa Matsumoto is the scorer helped a little by a deflection from the Indian defender. The play started with a long ball from Japan that was won by India but Matsumoto managed to steal the ball, entered the circle and fired his shot.
1' India slowing things down here. Japan have got a goal and they have looked far more organised in the defence in the third quarter. In the attack too, Japanese have threatened a bit in this quarter.
So 45 minutes of the game are done. Japan will definitely enter the final quarter on a high. They have got a goal and have troubled Indian defence a bit in the third quarter. India still looking solid but if they concede one more goal, things could turn interesting.
The final quarter is underway now. A slow start to the final fifteen minutes. Both teams have moved back and forth with the ball no chances made in the first few minutes.
7' India create the first real chance of the last quarter but Abhishek perhaps gets too greedy there. Went to do all by himself. Kept the ball with him, made a great turn and lobbed the ball to the far corner of the goalpost but it is too high.
6' India Score!!!!
Uttam Singh the scorer but it is Jarmanpreet Singh's assist which deserves credit. Jarmanpreet keeps the ball in control on the backline and pushes it towards Uttam who is standing right on the mouth of the goal. Uttam makes no mistake to put that ball past the Japan keeper. Fourth goal for India.
5' PC for India
Harmanpeet takes a big drag flick but the Japanese keeper has his foot down just in time to affect a good save. The ball is cleared and Japanese defenders can breath easy now.
0.3' India Score!!!!
Sukhjeet Singh gets his second goal of the match and India have made it 5-1 which will be final scoreline as the hooter sounds seconds after the goal. Sukjeet gets the ball right inside the D and gets a big fierce volley right into the Japanese goal.
India complete a really dominating victory against Japan. The numbers tell the tale. The scoreline of course is 5-1 in favour of India. The Men In Blue also kept 58% of the possession while making 36 circle entries. Japan could only enter the Indian D 17 times.
Sukhjeet opened the scoring for India and closed it too. In between, Abhishek, Sanjay and Uttam too found the goal. Japan could just get one goal via Kazumasa Matsumoto's strike. No goals from PCs for Japan while converted one of their two PCs.
The result takes India on the top of the Asian Champions Trophy taly with six points in two games. They have scored eight goals and conceded just one. Harmanpreet Singh and co have started their title defence on a really good note.
India will face Malaysia next on 11th of September with the match starting from 1:15 PM (IST).
Thank you for following us and that will be a wrap for today. We will be back to cover India's match against Malaysia on Wednesday. Do Not forget to join. See you.