FIH World Cup 2023, India vs Japan Highlights: India Score Eight Past Japan; IND 8-0 JPN

GOAL!

Sukhjeet Singh gets one for himself with virtually the last hit of the game.

IND 8-0 JPN

GOAL!

Harmanpreet gets his second of the night as India bag their seventh.

IND 7-0 JPN

GOAL!

Manpreet gets in on the action as he gets one for himself.

IND 6-0 JPN

Abhishek has been absolutely electric on the evening as he surges forward looking to extend the already enormous lead.

GOAL!

Harmanpreet scores from an early penalty corner in the final quarter of the game.

IND 5-0 JPN

END of Q3!

The third quarter of the game draws to a close.

It was an eventful 15 minutes as India bagged four goals after the halftime break.

IND 4-0 JPN

GOAL!

Abhishek comes up with a beautifully hit reverse stick shot which sails into the back of the net.

India are now four up.

IND 4-0 JPN

GOAL!

Vivek Sagar Prasad nets India’s third of the evening.

Harmanpreet’s effort from a penalty corner is blocked by the Japanese defence and the ball falls kindly to Vivek who rams the ball into the back of the net to put real daylight between the teams.

IND 3-0 JPN

GOAL!

Abhishek nets India’s second goal of the game in emphatic fashion.

A powerful strike from close range brings up an insurance goal for the hosts as the home crowd lets out a roar of delight.

IND 2-0 JPN

GOAL!

Indian have a penalty corner and the injector plays it towards the centre for Harmanpreet to ply his trade. As the ball is played towards goal, Mandeep Singh gets his stick to put the ball into the net past the Japanese keeper.

IND 1-0 JPN

HALFTIME!

The hooter blows and the teams are evenly poised at nil-nil at the halfway point of the classification match.

IND 0-0 JPN

Abhishek produces a brilliant piece of skill to bring the ball down on the right before skipping past a defender to get himself in a 1v1 position.

He tries to put the ball beyond the keeper with a gentle slide, but the keeper sands tall to keep the ball out.

Japan are putting up a spirited show at the Birsa Munda as they venture into the Indian circle looking to capitalise on any chinks in the host nation’s defensive armour.

Japan have a penalty corner early in the second quarter and their brilliant attempt is blocked by the Indian keeper Krishan Bahadur Pathak.

And India try to move the ball upfield swiftly.

Akashdeep comes up with a reverse stick shot from near the goal following the counter but sees his effort blocked by the Japanese keeper.

End of Q1!

The opening 15 minutes of the game comes to a close with the scores at nil-nil.

IND 0-0 JPN

India’s Abhishek produces a brilliant reverse stick shot from inside the area at the final minute of the first quarter.

But, the Japanese custodian is equal to the effort and keeps the scoreboard from ticking with an instinctive save.

India have a penalty corner as the home side look to capitalise on the same.

They execute their routine, but they can’t get the ball into the back of the net as another Indian penalty corner accounts for nothing in the tournament.

Team India have a chance to go up in the opening quarter as skipper Harmanpreet gets the ball on the right.

The captain adjusts his position as he looks to shoot, but his shot is blocked by a Japanese defender and the scoreboard remains still.

The Japanese are mounting a whole lot of pressure on the Indian defence as they seek to attack the goal.

But, India survive the onslaught and can try to hit on the break.