Jakarta: Defending champions India continued their goal-scoring spree and spanked Japan 8–0 to register their third consecutive win in men’s hockey at the Asian Games, here Friday.
Drag-flicker Rupinder Pal Singh (17th, 37th minutes) and Mandeep Singh (32nd, 56th) struck twice while SV Sunil (7th), Dilpreet Singh (12th), Akashdeep Singh (45th) and Vivek Sagar Prasad (47th) also registered their names on the score sheet.
World No.5 India will next play Korea, ranked 14th, Sunday before completing their pool engagement against Sri Lanka.
India started on a bright note and attacked the Japanese goal in numbers from the onset. The defending champions did not have to wait much to get on board as Akashdeep fed Sunil with a reverse hit pass and the experienced striker easily found the back of the net. Then Dilpreet struck with a fierce reverse hit to double the lead and India went to the interval 2-0 ahead.
It soon became 3-0 in the second quarter when Rupinder converted a penalty corner. Then Amit Rohidas sent a lovely through ball for Mandeep, who easily beat Japanese goalie Takashi Yoshikawa to make it 4-0. Rupinder then converted a penalty stroke awarded after a Japanese defender obstructed Vivek inside the circle, to make it 5-0.
Akashdeep, Vivek and Mandeep later added to India’s tally with field strikes in the final quarter.