A brand new-look Indian staff paid for its inexperience and profligacy with Asian champions Japan soundly thrashing them 5-2 in a bunch A league fit of the lads’s Asia Cup hockey championship right here on Tuesday.
Having drawn in opposition to Pakistan within the opening sport, India’s probabilities after this defeat shall be badly dented as even a large win in opposition to Indonesia within the ultimate sport may not be sufficient for qualification to the knock-out levels.
Ken Nagayoshi, Kosei Kawabe (two times), Ryomi Ooka and Koji Yamasaki scored for Japan whilst Pawan Rajbhar and Uttam Singh discovered the objective for the Indians.
On the other hand, the more youthful crop of avid gamers didn’t measure up in opposition to the Jap, who regarded extra organised and hit India time and again at the counters.
The 2 seniors — Birendra Lakra and SV Sunil — regarded well beyond their high and couldn’t make any tangible distinction with their performances.
“First two quarters had been very tricky as a result of we didn’t get into any rhythm. We were given higher within the ultimate two quarters however didn’t create many probabilities,” mentioned Lakra, the India captain.
Complete Time! India installed a valiant effort however was once defeated via Japan via 3 targets in lately’s Hero Asia Cup in Jakarta, hoping for a greater sport within the upcoming fits.
?? 2-5 ??#IndiaKaGame #HockeyIndia #HeroAsiaCup #MatchDay @CMO_Odisha @sports_odisha @IndiaSports @Media_SAI %.twitter.com/sMkdGjBaan
— Hockey India (@TheHockeyIndia) Might 24, 2022
“Within the ultimate quarter, we misplaced our defensive construction and conceded a few targets. Additionally we misplaced two males and that had an impact,” Lakra added.
India can have long past forward within the 5th minute of the primary part itself when 20-year-old Karthi Selvam saved an inch very best pass from broad left for veteran SV Sunil, who was once inches wanting laying his stick for a tap-in.
The primary quarter was once all about seeking to get keep an eye on of the midfield with rookie Indian avid gamers shedding a large number of ownership all through the segment of play.
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However, to their pleasure, the Jap additionally did not make too many inroads save one penalty nook, which was once well-saved via a diving Indian custodian Suraj Karkera.
On the other hand, in the second one quarter central midfielder Raj Kumar took a crack at objective from the brink of the placing circle, which was once kept via Japan goalie Koji Yamasaki and, to India’s horror, the ball discovered Sunil’s boots as he was once lurking throughout the ‘D’.
However India fizzled out in the second one quarter after that preliminary spark, even because the Jap upped their ante and earned two extra penalty corners — the primary of which discovered drag-flicker Yoshiki Kirishita off the mark as his tough drag-flick sailed nicely over the cross-piece.
Some ? from our conflict in opposition to Japan within the Hero Asia Cup 2022, which happened on the GBK Hockey discipline in Jakarta, Indonesia.#IndiaKaGame #HockeyIndia #HeroAsiaCup #INDvsJPN #matchday @CMO_Odisha @sports_odisha @IndiaSports @Media_SAI %.twitter.com/3NvPFZmxr4
— Hockey India (@TheHockeyIndia) Might 24, 2022
On the other hand, within the twenty fourth minute, Ken Nagayoshi transformed the penalty nook with an impressive angular force that beat a diving Suraj all finally ends up.
There got here a possibility of an equaliser when Nilam Sanjeep Xess’ lend a hand discovered Raj Kumar, whose opposite hit was once kept via the keeper.
The issue with the green outfit was once its propensity to assault essentially down the middle-third as a substitute of spreading the sport onto the broad flanks.
The getting older Sunil’s deficient day trip additionally didn’t assist the Indians a lot because the staff looked as if it would lack the artwork of taking part in the urgent sport to earn the penalty corners not like the Jap, who had been sensible at the counter all through the ultimate two quarters of the sport.
It was once within the fortieth minute Japan made it 2-0 in a counter-attack with Kosei Kawabi snatching the ball from the Indian midfield and sprinting down the correct wing operating left-back Dipsan Tirkey ragged along with his velocity.
It was once a impressive objective with Kawabi having his again against the Indian objective along with his markers Dipsan and Nilam final in on him. With a frame feint, Kawabi wrong-footed goalkeeper Suraj after which smashed it house from an acute perspective.
India discovered one thing going their method within the loss of life moments of the 1/3 quarter when veteran Birendra Lakra saved an impressive lend a hand throughout the placing circle melee and the big-bodied centre ahead Pawan Rajbhar was once in the correct position to put his stick for an ideal deflection that discovered the highest nook of the web.
The general quarter as soon as once more noticed the Indians going all out and conceding a objective in opposition to the run of play within the forty ninth minute.
With all however one avid gamers at the overlap, Ryosei Kato were given a cross-field move at the broad proper and he lower inside of with goalkeeper Suraj at his mercy, and Ryomo Ooka looking ahead to an open objective. Kato handed it to Ooka, who put it gleefully to make it 3-1.
On the other hand, India equalised with the very subsequent transfer when Rajbhar despatched a pass from proper and ahead Uttam Singh tapped it in from shut vary to make it 2-3.
However there was once extra unhealthy good fortune for India as they misplaced the numerical benefit with transient suspensions of Rajbhar and Karthi.
The 9 as opposed to 11 changed into a lopsided contest as Japan time and again used the correct flank to release their assault. Koji Yamasaki were given his objective within the 54th minute with a touch-in after not one of the Indian defenders cared to intercept a pass from the broad proper.
The Indian resistance had ended and the 5th objective was once the overall nail within the coffin — Kawabe slotting house within the 56th minute after his first shot rebounded off the goalkeeper.