India displayed their hockey prowess with a dominant 16-1 victory over Singapore in the men’s hockey competition at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou. The Indian team, fresh from their 16-0 win against Uzbekistan, continued their goal-scoring spree, securing their second consecutive victory.
Harmanpreet and Mandeep Shine
Skipper Harmanpreet Singh and Mandeep Singh delivered outstanding performances, each scoring a remarkable hat-trick. Their formidable partnership, along with the contributions of other players, overwhelmed Singapore’s defense. Harmanpreet netted goals in the 24th, 39th, 40th, and 42nd minutes, while Mandeep contributed with goals in the 12th, 30th, and 51st minutes.
India’s goal fest featured contributions from various players, including Abhishek, Varun Kumar, Lalit Kumar Upadhyay, Gurjant Singh, Vivek Sagar Prasad, Manpreet Singh, and Shamsher Singh. This comprehensive team effort demonstrated India’s dominance.
India’s next challenge will be against defending champions Japan, a match anticipated with great excitement and expectations. The team aims to maintain its winning momentum throughout the tournament.
While India started on a slower note, they quickly gained control of the match, dominating ball possession. The first quarter saw several penalty corners for India, but they couldn’t convert any into goals.
Second Quarter Surge
India’s performance improved significantly in the second quarter, with five goals scored. Lalit’s top-right corner goal, Gurjant’s stretch to the net, Vivek Sagar Prasad’s deflection, and Harmanpreet’s penalty corner conversions contributed to the commanding lead. At half-time, India led 6-0, having missed multiple penalty corner opportunities. However, their dominant performance remained unchallenged.
The second half continued in India’s favor as they extended their lead further. Manpreet’s deflection and Harmanpreet’s hat-trick from penalty corners showcased their relentless attack. Varun Kumar sealed India’s triumph with two late penalty corner conversions, completing the 16-1 victory. Despite their impressive performance, India faced challenges with penalty corners, converting only eight out of 22 secured during the match.
