Harmanpreet's India survive 'silly mistakes,' humidity threat to edge past Japanese storm in Asia Cup hockey

India created enough chaos in the Japanese ranks on an unusually cloudy afternoon in Rajgir after two days of punishing humidity and got their second win to enter the ‘Super 4’ stage of the Asia Cup. But the scoreline could have been much better than 3-2, had the field-goal chances been converted.

The Sunday crowd, clearly in excess of 4000, was bobbing in the stands every time the ball was on an Indian stick in the Japanese half. That enthusiasm didn’t die, even as humidity began to rise once again in the second half.  

𝐆𝐮𝐭𝐬𝐲 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐰! 💪

The Indian hockey team fought hard to register its second win at the Hero Asia Cup Rajgir, Bihar 2025, to seal a place in the Super 4s.#HockeyIndia #IndiaKaGame #HumSeHaiHockey #HeroAsiaCupRajgir pic.twitter.com/QkJnvYPcQx

— Hockey India (@TheHockeyIndia) August 31, 2025

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Harman’s magic lights up Rajgir

The chants of ‘Harman…Harman’ left little doubts about the biggest super star of this team. The hat-trick hero of the win against China added two more goals to his name on penalty corners (PC) after veteran striker Mandeep Singh broke the deadlock just four minutes into the match.  

Japan kept close on India’s heels, especially when the home team sat back in defence for a bit. But a PC at the hooter to end the third quarter and Harmanpreet’s goal off it gave India the cushion they needed against the sharp Japanese turnovers before entering the last 15 minutes of the game.

Kosei Kawabe scored his second goal just a minute shy of full time and Harmanpreet got a yellow card at the same time, which put the Indian defence through a few nervous moments. But they held firm for the win to go top of Pool A.  

“Pity we couldn’t score more field goals, though the stats are pretty high for us. But just couldn’t finish what we started,” said India coach Craig Fulton after the match. “And then you make a few mistakes later on. That’s not good for us, but it happens. We were 3-1 up, and then to go 3-2 and get a card at the end is always frustrating for everyone.”

Cards, concerns, and championship relief

Harmanpreet’s yellow and the two green cards shown to Raj Kumar Pal (45’) and Ami Rohidas (23’) made it seven cards for India in two matches, adding to the four they got against China.

It was probably the pressure created by Japan’s speed that forced India into mistakes, but playmaker Manpreet Singh admitted it shouldn’t happen.

“They tried to play on counters and defended deep. Our defence played well, but in between there were a few silly mistakes that resulted in PCs. We should have scored more goals,” said Manpreet.

The heads in the crowd rose and then sank in the 2nd minute itself, when Mandeep couldn’t put the ball in. But the veteran striker redeemed himself two minutes later. Harmanpreet’s goal in the 5th minute added more decibels to the fans’ cheer to put Japan on the backfoot early.

Goalkeeper Krishan Pathak, who conceded all three goals in the match against China, had a better day – starting with two consecutive saves in the 13th minute.

The second quarter remained goal-less. But the highlight was Vivek Sagar Prasad’s exemplary rushing when Japan earned three consecutive PCs and India’s preferred first rusher Rohidas was suspended with a green card.

But for Manpreet missing a rebound on a PC set-piece and Dilpreet Singh failing to collect an aerial in an opportune position in the Japanese circle, India could have gone into half-time more than two goals ahead.  

Japan returned and Kawabe’s field goal brought them back into the game three minutes into the third quarter (38th minute), until India restored their two-goal advantage with Harman’s second PC goal just before the hooter went off.  

Kawabe got Japan a sniff by completing his brace in the 59th  but it was too late in the script, even with India a man down due to Harmanpreet’s suspension with a yellow.

India won’t be playing anymore games in the afternoon further in the tournament. All their upcoming matches are scheduled for a 7:30 pm start instead of 3 pm, when the humidity is at its peak.

“That makes a big difference,” said coach Fulton. “These games at 3 o’clock and 1 o’clock are super difficult. It was a good challenge, and we have done it.”