Tokyo: Striker Mandeep Singh struck a fine hat-trick to help the Indian men’s hockey team beat hosts Japan 6-3 and book a summit clash berth in the Olympic Test Event here on Tuesday.
The Indian team bounced back from their 1-2 loss against New Zealand with an impressive display in their third match at the Oi Hockey Stadium here. India again face New Zealand in the final Wednesday.
Mandeep Singh found the target in the ninth, 29th and 30th minutes while Nilakanta Sharma (third), Odisha’s Nilam Sanjeep Xess (seventh) and Gurjant Singh (41st) were the other scorers for India.
Kentaro Fukuda (25th), Kenta Tanaka (36th) and Kazuma Murata (52nd) scored the goals for Japan.
Nilakanta gave India an excellent start through an early field goal. Buoyed by the early lead, the Indian team put tremendous pressure on the Japan defence as Gurjant took a shot on goal, but saw his effort going wide of the post. However, soon after a penalty corner was awarded to India which was converted brilliantly by Nilam Sanjeep to put India 2-0 ahead.
India continued to take the aggressive approach and Mandeep found the back of the net with an excellent field goal and helped India go into the first quarter break with a 3-0 lead.
India continued their attacking game in the second quarter with Jarmanpreet Singh taking a shot on goal, but putting it wide. Captain Harmanpreet Singh had a shot on target, but the Japanese goalkeeper Takashi Yoshikawa pulled off a brilliant save.
Japan managed to open their account through a field goal through Fukuda, but Mandeep Singh scored two field goals in quick succession to help India take a big 5-1 lead. The Indian vice-captain scored just before the half time whistle in.
Japan started the third quarter on an aggressive note. Their efforts bore fruit as Tanaka scored off a melee.
India did not let the momentum shift towards the Japanese side as forward Gurjant found the back of the net to make it 6-2 and India went into the break fully in control. All the Japan could achieve in the fourth quarter was reduce the margin through Murata.
Both India and Japan got a penalty corner each in the dying moments of the game. But both sides failed to add to their tally.
PTI
