Asian Games: India beats defending champion Japan 4-2 at men's hockey

Hangzhou: India defeated Japan 4-2 to win their third straight game and advance one step closer to the men's hockey semi-final at the Asian Games on Thursday thanks in large part to the two goals scored by the young striker Abhishek.

Mandeep Singh (24th) and Amit Rohidas (34th) both scored for India, and Abhishek added two field goals in the 13th and 48th minutes.

Japan fought back in the final five minutes of the fourth and final quarter and scored two quick goals through Genki Mitani (57th) and Ryosei Kato (60) to reduce the margin of defeat.

India will play arch-rivals Pakistan in their next Pool A match on Saturday. World no.3 Indian team dominated the proceedings for a major part of the match and controlled the ball possession, while Japan showed sparks in patches.

After two easy wins, the confident Indians started brightly and secured their first penalty corner in the fifth minute but skipper Harmanpreet Singh's flick went wide.

India conceded their first penalty corner of the tournament in the 12th minute but the Japanese failed to utilise the chance as goalkeeper Krishan Bahadur Pathak saved Shota Yamada's try.

India secured another penalty corner soon but again the result was the same.

But an opportunistic Abhishek gave India the lead a minute later, scoring with a reverse stick after receiving an assist from Hardik Singh.

India earned another penalty corner but the Japanese defended bravely.

Seconds from the first quarter, Lalit Upadhyay's timely deflection from Jarmanpreet Singh's cross was saved by Japanese goalkeeper Takashi Yoshikawa.

India doubled their lead in the 24th minute through Mandeep, who dived full length to deflect Nilkanta's pass.

After the change of ends, India secured their fourth penalty corner but Sanjay's flick was saved by Yoshikawa.

India secured back-to-back penalty corners soon, the second of which was converted by Rohidas with a powerful drag-flick to the top right corner of Japan's goal. India looked threatening and continued to press hard on the Japanese defence in search of more goals as the third quarter ended.

Three minutes into the final quarter, India made the scoreline 4-0 when Abhishek combined well with Mandeep to score his second goal of the day. But the Japanese didn't bow down without a fight and came back strongly, scoring two quick goals in the last five minutes of the game.

The Japanese secured three penalty corners in a span of three minutes and managed to find the net from the third one through a fine variation goal from Mitani.

Japan pulled another back just at the stroke of the final hooter from a counterattack through Kato.

With PTI inputs