Thank you for tuning into Sportstar’s LIVE Coverage of the Hockey World Cup 2023 - Day 14 in Bhubaneswar and Rourkela.
WE’LL SEE YOU TOMORROW FOR THE SEMIFINALS OF THE HOCKEY WORLD CUP 2023!
INDIA VS JAPAN (Match 36)
PLAYER OF THE MATCH- ABHISHEK
INDIA WILL FACE SOUTH AFRICA ON JANUARY 28 FOR THE 9TH-12TH PLACE CLASSIFICATION MATCH!
FOURTH QUARTER
- ANOTHER PENALTY CORNER, ANOTHER REBOUND AND SUKHJEET SINGH SCORES INDIA’S EIGHTH GOAL!
- ANOTHER PC FOR INDIA. AKASHDEEP INJECTS, VARUN KUMAR FLICKS ONTO RAIKI, WHO FALLS DOWN AND LOOKS TO BE INJURED AND IS TAKEN OUT OF THE FIELD.
- FINAL MINUTE OF THE GAME AND INDIA GETS A PENALTY CORNER AS YAMATO GETS HIT ON HIS FOOT BY THE BALL. AKASHDEEP SINGH TO INJECT, VIVEK STOPS THE BALL AND HARMANPREET SINGH FLICKS IT AND INDIA LEADS 7-0
- Manpreet Singh scores India’s sixth goal with a quick flick as the ball hits the right corner.
- Abhishek fails to make use of the reverse hit and Yamato intercepts it.
- Two Japanese defenders surround Jarmanpreet in Japan’s corner, however, he manages to scuffle around and pass it on to another Indian attacker.
- DID YOU KNOW? Japan’s star players Kentaro and Ken have not scored a single goal for the team in this World Cup.
- Seems like a one sided game. Will Japan be able to bring about five goals in the ultimate quarter?
- PC FOR INDIA AFTER A JAPAN DEFENDERS FOOT INTERFERES IN ITS CIRCLE. ABHISHEK INJECTS AND HARMANPREET FINALLY SCORES! INDIA LEADS 5-0
THIRD QUARTER
- ABHISHEK’S REVERSE STICK GETS THE BALL INTO THE LEFT CORNER OF THE GOAL POST WITH ONE AND HALF MINUTES REMANINING. AND IT’S 4- NIL
- PENALTY CORNER FOR INDIA! ABHISHEK TO INJECT THE BALL. WILL THEY MAKE IT FOUR? THEY FAIL TO SCORE DESPITE THE REBOUND.
- PC FOR INDIA. MAKE IT TWO IN A ROW! VIVEK GETS ONE ON THE REBOUND AS FINDS AN EMPTY SPACE AVAILABLE ON HIS RIGHT SIDE AFTER HARMANPREET MISSES TO SCORE VIA THE FLICK! INDIA SCORES ONCE AGAIN
- Penalty corner for Japan as Amit Rohidas obstructs Japanese attacker from scoring. However, the Indian defenders are able to deflect the ball aside.
- VIVEK PRASAD PASSES THE BALL TO ABHISHEK, WHO IS ALONE IN THE JAPANESE CIRCLE AND MANAGES TO FIND THE GOAL! INDIA LEADS 2-0
- PENALTY CORNER FOR INDIA! AS THE BALL HITS A DEFENDERS FOOT. SHAMSHER SINGH INJECTS THE PC! AMIT ROHIDAS TAKES THE FLICK AND A DEVIATION BY MANDEEP SINGH DOES IT FOR INDIA. INDIA LEADS 1-0
- Interception by Japan inside its circle as India misplaces the pass yet again.
- In comes Pathak for India.
HERE’S WHAT OUR REPORTER ON FIELD HAS TO SAY ABOUT THE ATMOSPHERE!
SECOND QUARTER
- Lalit misses his chance twice after having failed two convert two circle penetrations.
- Yet another failed long aerial pass to Jarmanpreet, but his cross pass fails to connect any Indian inside the circle.
- Abhishek gets into the Indian D after an aerial pass outside the circle. However, is unable to get past the Japanese ‘keeper Yoshikawa.
- Hiro passes it to Masato, who flicks. However, Indian ‘keeper Sreejesh, who was substituted saves the ball.
- Kaito Tanaka enters the Indian circle and Harmanpreet passes the ball to Vivek after interjecting.
- Masaki Ohashi gets injured and is sent off the playing area after holding his elbow.
- Penalty corner opportunities saved. INDIA COUNTER ATTACKS AND AKASHDEEP EARNS A PC.
FIRST QUARTER
- Reverse stick with a lot of power from Abhishek off a rebound, but the hooter goes and the two teams stand 0-0.
- Rajkumar Pal tries to get a goal via a reverse stick, but no luck.
- PENALTY CORNER FOR INDIA! SHAMSHER SINGH INJECTS THE BALL, ANOTHER PC IS AWARDED! SIMILAR FEAT AS HARMANPREET IS YET TO CONVERT YET AGAIN FOR INDIA.
- Harmanpreet Singh gets an aerial pass outside the circle, however is unable to flick the ball into the goal due to Takuma’s tackle.
- Akashdeep and Mandeep grant India a penalty corner. However, Japan asks for a referral as Akashdeep’s foot was involved outside the circle.
- Nilakanta Sharma passes to Abhishek, who gives away possession to the Japanese player who tries to enter the Indian D and score but is met with Harmanpreet’s stick.
- Kentaro Fukuda tries to score a goal after being the sole player entering the Indian circle, however it’s a very easy save for Pathak, who kicks it away.
- Varun Kumar saves the ball from entering the Indian circle.
- Harmanpreet passes to Surender Kumar, who loses the ball possession.
- Pathak is made the starting ‘keeper.
- The two teams shake hands.
- The anthem of the two nations is played.
THE LINEUPS ARE OUT!
WHAT HAPPENED IN THE OTHER CLASSIFICATION MATCHES?
- Argentina thrashes Chile 8-0
- Wales beat France in shootout 2-2 (2-1 SO)
- South Africa defeated Malaysia 6-3
PREVIEW (By Aashin Prasad)
While the party continues in Bhubaneswar, the host will be far away from it, forced to go through the embarrassment of the classification battle in the World Cup. A deflated India will take on Japan here at the Birsa Munda International Stadium on Thursday for a chance to play in the 9/10 place classification match.
Since the shock exit in the crossover stage to New Zealand on Sunday in Bhubaneswar, where it let a two-goal lead slip twice to lose on penalty shootouts, the Indian team has sought to stay away from the spotlight. No pre-match press conference was scheduled and head coach Graham Reid refused to entertain the media post their closed-door training late on Wednesday.
READ | Dissecting India’s Hockey World Cup campaign: Coming up short on home turf
With the pressure off their backs, Reid will hope his team plays freely and rectifies the mistakes from the matches against Wales and New Zealand. While it improved on its decision-making in front of goal in the loss to the Black Sticks, concerns will remain over its penalty corners conversion rate – 5 goals from 26 attempts -- and getting turned over in possession in its own half. Of the five penalty corner goals, two were from rebounds and one without a goalkeeper as skipper Harmanpreet Singh’s drag-flicks have underwhelmed.
Squads
India
Japan
With an expectant home crowd, India will seek to give them a reason to cheer against the tournament’s lowest-scorer (2 goals) Japan. Japan will seek inspiration from their wins over India in the Asian Champions Trophy (2021) and Asia Cup (2022), although both squads are sporting a different look from then.
Japan head coach Akira Takahashi, who coached the team in those wins, admitted he wasn’t expecting to face India. While he aims for a victory, Takahashi hopes to use the stage to prepare for the upcoming Asian Games and the Paris Olympics next year. ‘Nig surprise [playing against India]. I didn’t want us to play India. It will be a good experience for our young players to be playing in front of many people,” he said.
Earlier in the day, South Africa will take on Malaysia, followed by Wales against France, and a South American duel between Chile and Argentina in the other classification playoffs.
HEAD-TO-HEAD RECORD
Played: 32 | India: 26 | Japan: 3 | Draw: 3
When and where will India vs New Zealand Crossover match of the 2023 Men’s Hockey World Cup be played?
India vs Japan classification match of the 2023 Men’s Hockey World Cup will be played at the Birsa Munda Stadium in Rourkela on Thursday - January 26, 2023.
At what time will India vs Japan classification match of the 2023 Men’s Hockey World Cup begin?
India vs Japan classification match of the 2023 Men’s Hockey World Cup will begin at 7PM IST.
Where to watch India vs Japan classification match of the 2023 Men’s Hockey World Cup?
India vs Japan classification match of the 2023 Men’s Hockey World Cup will be streamed live on Disney+ Hotstar.
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