Asian Games hockey: India rout Korea 8-2, close in on semifinal spot

Dilpreet Singh scored a hat-trick as defending champions India thrashed Korea 8-2 for their third straight win in the Asian Games men’s hockey competition. India remained atop Pool A and all but assured their place in the semifinals

Kakamigahara (Japan): In-form striker Dilpreet Singh fired a hat-trick as defending champions India thrashed Korea 8-2 to all but assure their place in the semifinals of the Asian Games men’s hockey competition here on Thursday.

It was India’s third consecutive win, keeping them at the top of Pool A. India had earlier thrashed Indonesia 13-1 and Sri Lanka 16-1 in their opening two pool matches.

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Dilpreet (10th, 26th, 32nd minutes) continued his impressive form with three fine field goals, while Abhishek (15th, 38th) struck a brace. Shilanand Lakra (4th), skipper Harmanpreet Singh (11th) and Rajinder Singh (60th) were the other goal-scorers for India.

Korea’s goals were scored by Kim Jae Ho (42nd) and Kim Yong Bok (52nd).

India will next play hosts Japan on Saturday.

The Indians started on an aggressive note and never let Korea settle down.

It took just four minutes for India to take the lead through Shilanand, who tapped in an incredible aerial ball into the box from vice-captain Hardik Singh.

India doubled their lead in the 10th minute through in-form Dilpreet, who slammed home with a fierce shot from the top of the circle after receiving an assist from Mandeep Singh.

Skipper Harmanpreet made it 3-0 a minute later, ramming home a penalty corner with a powerful drag-flick to the left of the Korean goalkeeper.

Abhishek then pushed in an assist from Shilanand in the final minute of the first quarter.

India continued to dominate in the second quarter and scored one more goal when Dilpreet tapped in a backhand cross from Mandeep.

Two minutes after the change of ends, India extended their lead through Dilpreet, who this time slammed home with a beautiful tomahawk after a fine one-two between Mandeep and Hardik.

Minutes later, India secured four consecutive penalty corners but failed to utilise them.

Korea soon got their first penalty corner, but India defended stoutly.

Abhishek extended India’s lead to 7-0, scoring from a rebound after Sukhjeet Singh’s initial attempt was kept out by Korean goalkeeper Kim Jaehan.

Korea finally managed to pull a goal back against the run of play through Kim Jae Ho, three minutes from the end of the third quarter.

The Koreans came out with more purpose in the fourth and final quarter, pressing hard on the Indian defence. They secured two penalty corners in quick succession but failed to breach the Indian defence.

Korea found the Indian net again eight minutes from the hooter when Kim Yong Bok beat three Indian defenders before slamming home with a rasping shot.

India’s chief coach Craig Fulton would have been disappointed with the team’s penalty-corner execution as they wasted four consecutive set pieces in the final minutes of the game.

India eventually converted a penalty corner through Rajinder just seconds from the hooter.