Asia Cup: India loses to Japan 5-2; Sardar Singh-coached team looking at the exit door 

This setback may severely harm India’s hopes of qualifying since even a significant win over Indonesia in the last game may not be enough. Asian champions Japan thrashed a new-look Indian squad 5-2 in a group A league match of Jakarta’s men’s Asia Cup hockey tournament, punishing them for their inexperience and wastefulness. 

After drawing with Pakistan in the first game, India’s hopes of qualifying for the knockout rounds have been severely harmed. Even a significant win over Indonesia in the last game may not be enough.

India’s Bad Luck – Japan Win

Japan’s goals came from Ken Nagayoshi, Kosei Kawabe (twice), Ryomi Ooka, and Koji Yamasaki. In contrast, the Indians’ goals came from Pawan Rajbhar and Uttam Singh. 

On the other hand, the younger players couldn’t compete with the Japanese, who appeared to be more organised and consistently attacked India on the counterattack. 

Birendra Lakra and SV Sunil, the two seniors, appeared to be past their prime and couldn’t make a noticeable impact with their performances. 

“We had difficulty getting into a rhythm in the first two quarters. We improved in the second two quarters, but we didn’t generate many opportunities, “India captain Lakra remarked. 

“We lost our defensive structure in the fourth quarter and let up a couple of goals. We also lost two men, which impacted, “Lakra continued. 

When 20-year-old Karthi Selvam kept an inch-perfect cross from the wide left for veteran SV Sunil, who was inches shy of laying his stick for a tap-in, India should have gone ahead in the fifth minute of the first half. 

The opening quarter was about gaining control of the midfield, with young Indian players losing a lot of possession. 

On the other hand, the Japanese failed to make many inroads, save for one penalty corner, which was well-saved by a diving Indian goalkeeper Suraj Karkera. 

However, in the second half, India’s central midfielder Raj Kumar attempted a goal from the edge of the hitting circle, which Japan goalkeeper Koji Yamasaki saved. The ball found Sunil’s boots as he lurked inside the ‘D’, much to India’s dismay. 

However, following that early spark, India faded in the second quarter. Even as Japan increased their ante and collected two more penalty corners, the first found drag-flicker Yoshiki Kirishita off the mark as his strong drag-flick went well beyond the cross-piece. 

However, Ken Nagayoshi converted the penalty corner in the 24th minute with a strong angled shot that beat a diving Suraj on both ends. 

When Nilam Sanjeep Xess’ assist found Raj Kumar, whose reverse hit was stopped by the keeper, there was a chance for an equaliser. 

The difficulty with the inexperienced squad was their propensity to attack predominantly through the middle third of the field rather than spreading the ball out to the broad flanks. 

Sunil’s bad performance didn’t assist the Indians much either. Unlike the Japanese, the side appeared to lack the knack of pushing to get penalty corners, who were great on the counter in the final two quarters. 

In the 40th minute, Kosei Kawabi snatched the ball from the Indian midfield and sped down the right flank, tearing left-back Dipsan Tirkey to shreds. 

 ith his back to the Indian goal and his markers Dipsan and Nilam closing in on him, Kawabi scored a fantastic goal. Kawabi fooled goalie Suraj with a body feint before smashing it home from an extreme angle. 

The big-bodied centre forward Pawan Rajbhar was in the correct location to lay his stick for a brilliant deflection that reached the top corner of the net in the final stages of the third quarter. 

In the fourth quarter, the Indians went all out, losing a goal against the flow of play in the 48th minute. 

Ryosei Kato received a cross-field ball on the wide right and cut inside with goalie Suraj at his mercy. Ryomo Ooka waited for an open goal with all but one man on the overlap. Kato gave it to Ooka, who cheerfully put it in to make the score 3-1. 

However, India equalised on the next move when Rajbhar delivered a cross from the right flank and touched in from close range by forwarding Uttam Singh to make it 2-3. 

More bad luck struck India when Rajbhar and Karthi were temporarily suspended, giving them a numerical disadvantage. 

As Japan continually launched attacks from the right-wing, the nine vs eleven matches turned lopsided. Koji Yamasaki scored with a touch-in in the 54th minute after no Indian defenders bothered to stop across from the wide right. 

The Indian resistance had crumbled, and Kawabe’s fifth goal, which he slotted home in the 55th minute after his first attempt bounced off the goalie, was the last nail in the coffin. 

 Read More : Asia Cup Hockey 2022: Arch-rivals India and Pakistan hockey battle ends in a draw after late goal