- India beat Japan 3-2 to seal their spot in the Super Fours of the Hockey Asia Cup.
- Harmanpreet Singh scored twice from penalty corners, continuing his prolific form.
- Mandeep opened the scoring after a fine build-up by Jarmanpreet and Sukhjeet.
GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 31st Aug: Team India survived a late Japanese surge to clinch a 3-2 victory in their second match of the Hockey Asia Cup, booking a berth in the Super Fours. Harmanpreet Singh struck twice off penalty corners, while Raj Kumar Pal added another in a hard-fought contest.
Unlike their opener against China, where India had to wait patiently for chances, the hosts came out aggressively in the first quarter. Jarmanpreet Singh’s cross found Sukhjeet, who set up Mandeep for the opening goal. Minutes later, skipper Harmanpreet fired home a fierce drag-flick from India’s third penalty corner to double the lead.
Japan pressed back with penalty corners late in the quarter, but goalkeeper Krishna Pathak—playing his 150th match—stood firm. After the restart, Kawabe pulled one back for Japan in the 36th minute, only for Harmanpreet to respond with another precise drag-flick, making it 3-1 at the end of the third quarter.
The final quarter saw India under pressure as Harmanpreet served a two-minute suspension. Suraj Karkera, stepping in for Pathak, made key saves, but Kawabe netted again through a penalty corner to set up a tense finish. Despite Japan’s late push, India held on to secure their second consecutive win of the tournament.
