In-form striker Dilpreet Singh fired a hat-trick to hand the Indian men’s hockey team a comfortable 8-2 win over Korea and all but assure its place in the semifinal of the Asian Games in Kakamigahara 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.
Dilpreet (10th, 26th, 32nd minutes) continued his impressive form and scored 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 getters for India.
Korea’s goals were scored by Kim Jae Ho (42nd) and Kim Yong Bok (52nd).
Defending champions 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 top of the circle from a Mandeep Singh assist.
Skipper Harmanpreet made it 3-0, ramming home a penalty corner with a powerful drag-flick to the left of the Korean goalkeeper a minute later.
Abhishek then pushed in an assist from Shilaland 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 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 try 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 third quarter.
The Koreans came out with more purpose in the fourth and final quarter, pressing hard on the Indian defence and in the process secured two penalty corners in quick succession but failed to breach the Indian defence.
Korea found the Indian net again in 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 be little disappointed with the team’s penalty corner drill 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.
(PTI)
