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India vs Japan, Asian Champions Trophy 2023 semi-final preview: India will be aiming to stay on course for a fourth title in seven seasons while Japan will be hoping to reach a second successive final when the two sides lock horns in the semi-finals of the 2023 Asian Champions Trophy. Hosts India hammered Pakistan 4-0 in their final league outing in Chennai on Wednesday to finish on top of the six-team table with 13 points to their name. The Harmanpreet Singh-led team won four out of five matches along the way along with one draw. Japan, meanwhile, managed to sneak into the top four with a 2-1 victory over China before the India vs Pakistan clash, going level with Pakistan on five points and finishing ahead of them on the basis of superior goal difference. Japan will also seek inspiration from the fact that they are the only team so far in the ongoing tournament to have denied the Indians all three points on offer, holding them to a 1-1 draw last week. The Japanese seized the lead through a Ken Nagayoshi strike shortly before the half-time hooter, before skipper Harmanpreet restored parity in the dying minutes of the third quarter. India have won the tournament three times, including as joint-winners along with Pakistan in 2018. Japan, on the other hand, finished runners-up in the previous edition in 2021 after losing to South Korea on penalties in the final in Dhaka. Japan had stunned India, who had won bronze at the Tokyo Olympics earlier that year, in the semi-finals to reach the summit clash for the first time. India would then go on to collect the bronze medal with a 4-3 victory over Pakistan.
India vs Japan Highlights, Asian Champions Trophy 2023 semi-final: India storm into final with 5-0 thrashing of Japan
Asian Champions Trophy 2023 Hockey: Akashdeep Singh, Harmanpreet Singh, Mandeep Singh, Sumit and Karthi Selvam score as India storm into the final with a comprehensive victory over Japan in the semis.
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That brings us to the end of our coverage of the second semi-final between India and Japan at the Mayor Radhakrishnan Stadium in Chennai, with India prevailing over their opponents from the Far East by a comprehensive margin to book their place in Saturday’s final, where they face Malaysia. Japan, on the other hand, will set their sights on the bronze medal playoff against South Korea which will take place ahead of the final.
Thank you all for tuning into our coverage. This is Amit signing off, wishing you all a good night!
India vs Japan Hockey LIVE Score
India 5-0 Japan
Quotes:
**“**The patience was really good today and our structure with the ball was really good. We are focusing more on clean sheets. We want to give him (Sreejesh) something and we are now focusing on the final and on the Asian Games” — India midfielder Hardik Singh.
“I’m really proud today because the entire team gave their best. Last time we played Japan (in the ACT semis) we lost. We made up our mind to give our best. Special congrats to PR Sreejesh for his 300th match. Obviously we want to win the final. Entire team gave our hundred per cent. We are going to play Japan again in the Asian Games” — Manpreet Singh
India vs Japan Hockey LIVE Score
India 5-0 Japan
FT: The hooter goes off one final time today in the second semi-final, as India storm into the final with a comprehensive thrashing of Japan.
What a turnaround for the Men in Blue after being held to a 1-1 draw against the same team earlier in the tournament, whose defence they couldn’t breach in over a dozen attempts before an equaliser from Harmanpreet in the third quarter. This was also the team that had stunned them in Dhaka two years ago during the previous edition of the continental event, and a majority of the present Indian side had featured in that match in December 2021.
Today, however, India were streets ahead of the Japanese in all departments and lived up to their billing of being the favourites not just for a place in the final but for a fourth title in seven editions. And the scoreline proves exactly that.
India vs Japan Hockey LIVE Score
India 5-0 Japan
Q4, 10’: Last five minutes of the second semi-final, and that’s all that Japan have if they are to collect a consolation goal or two today!
India vs Japan Hockey LIVE Score
India 5-0 Japan
Q4, 7’: GOAL! India are five-nil up, and it’s local boy Karthi Selvam who gets on the scoresheet this time, much to the delight of the crowd at the Mayor Radhakrishnan Stadium!
Harmanpreet puts in a 50-metre long ball from near the halfline, finding Shamsher right in front of the final line of the Japanese defence. Sukhjeet puts in a pass to his left and Karthi takes it from there!
India vs Japan Hockey LIVE Score
India 4-0 Japan
Q4, 1’: The final quarter is underway at the Mayor Radhakrishnan Stadium in Chennai, with Japan hoping to collect a consolation goal or two in the final 15 minutes. Scoring four goals might just have become too big a task for them now.
Meanwhile, India keeper Sreejesh is back on the sidelines with Pathak replacing him. Yoshikawa stays in front of the goal for Japan.
India vs Japan Hockey LIVE Score
India 4-0 Japan
Q3, 15’: End of the third quarter, with India just one step away from storming into the final! Outstanding strike from Sumit to quadruple India’s lead and put the result of the second semi-final beyond doubt.
India made a couple of more incursions into the Japanese defence during this quarter, but were thwarted by keeper Yoshikawa — who has been the standout performer among the Japanese today!
India vs Japan Hockey LIVE Score
India 4-0 Japan
Q3, 9’: GOAL! Four goals and counting, and this time it’s Sumit who might just have scored the goal of the tournament so far!
Receives a pass from Manpreet from the far right flank, and dribbles his way close to the goal-post, firing the ball past the keeper with a deft little tomahawk from a tight angle to quadruple India’s lead!
India vs Japan Hockey LIVE Score
India 3-0 Japan
Q3, 2’: India make an early incursion into the Japanese defence at the start of the third quarter, catching their opponents unaware. Akashdeep, who had opened India’s account earlier, is unable to slip one past the keeper.
India vs Japan Hockey LIVE Score
India 3-0 Japan
Q3, 1’: Change of ends at the Mayor Radhakrishnan Stadium in Chennai, with the Indians aiming to not drop their intensity despite being three-nil up at the moment. Also Yoshikawa is back as the keeper for Japan, as is Sreejesh for India.
Captain Harmanpreet is leading the chart by a fair margin!
India vs Japan Hockey LIVE Score
India 3-0 Japan
HT: The hooter goes off at the Mayor Radhakrishnan Stadium in Egmore, Chennai to indicate half-time.
Team India have tightened their grip following Akashdeep’s opening goal, and unless Japan are able to conjure up a miracle in the next two quarters, India appear set to face Malaysia in the gold medal match!
India vs Japan Hockey LIVE Score
India 3-0 Japan
Q2, 14’: GOAL! Mandeep Singh triples India’s lead about a minute before the half-time hooter goes off at the Mayor Radhakrishnan Stadium, and what a setup by Manpreet for the goal!
Manpreet takes the ball to the edge of the Japanese circle and goes for an ambitious shot that beats every single Japanese forward on its way to the goalpost before Mandeep calmly taps it in past the keeper!
India now have two field goals besides Harmanpreet’s PC conversion, and look pretty much unstoppable at the moment!
India vs Japan Hockey LIVE Score
India 2-0 Japan
Q2, 8’: GOAL! Harmanpreet Singh doubles India’s lead minutes after Akashdeep’s opening goal!
India are awarded a penalty corner four minutes after the opening strike, and ace dragflicker Harmanpreet flicks this powerfully through the gap between the Japanese keeper and a defender! India well and truly on top at the moment!
India vs Japan Hockey LIVE Score
India 1-0 Japan
Q2, 4’: GOAL! Akashdeep Singh provides the perfect finish, drilling the ball past Japanese keeper Kitagawa after receiving a pass from the right! Excellent composure shown by the forward to give the hosts the lead!
India vs Japan Hockey LIVE Score
India 0-0 Japan
Q2, 1’: Change of goalkeepers — Takumi Kitagawa replaces Takashi Yoshikawa for Japan while Krishan Pathak replaces PR Sreejesh for the Indians.
And with that, the second quarter is underway, both teams looking to open their account!
India vs Japan Hockey LIVE Score
India 0-0 Japan
Q1, 15’: End of a closely-fought first quarter in the second semi-final. We’ve had just the one penalty corner so far which went to India, and was thwarted bravely by Japanese keeper Yoshikawa.
Can either side break the deadlock in the second quarter? Stay tuned to find out!
India vs Japan Hockey LIVE Score
India 0-0 Japan
Q1, 9’: Close call for Team India! Yuma Nagai fails to collect a pass coming in from the right flank and the ball rolls away. The spirited charge into the Indian circle though, should wake the hosts up.
India vs Japan Hockey LIVE Score
India 0-0 Japan
Q1, 4’: India’s Shamsher Singh is the first player to get booked today after getting a green card in the early minutes of the opening quarter. India, meanwhile, are dominating possession early on and have made multiple inroads into the Japanese defence.
India vs Japan Hockey LIVE Score
India 0-0 Japan
Q1, 2’: India win a penalty corner as early as the second minute of the opening quarter! Skipper Harmanpreet Singh takes the PC, but the Japanese defence thwarts their attempt to open their account. Japanese keeper Yoshikawa managed to kick the ball away to safety.
The Japanese defence had been watertight the last time they faced India and had saved about a dozen PCs.
India vs Japan Hockey LIVE Score
India 0-0 Japan
Q1, 0’: And the second semi-final is underway at the Mayor Radhakrishnan Stadium in Chennai, and the Men in Blue make an early charge into the Japanese circle!
Here are the starting lineups for today’s game
India vs Japan Hockey LIVE Score
The two teams make their way out to the centre to sing their respective national anthems. But before that, veteran goalkeeper PR Sreejesh gets felicitated for making his 300th appearance for Team India!
India vs Japan Hockey LIVE Score
Coach talk:
Craig Fulton, India: It’s all setup. All roads lead to this part of the tournament. Try and finish a few more of our chances. We created a lot and didn’t finish. Japan’s a good team.
Akira Takahashi, Japan: India is a great team. But I believe we have a chance to win today. So I believe in our players. We must be focused and play aggressively.
India vs Japan Hockey LIVE Score
Did you know?
Today’s match will be veteran goalkeeper PR Sreejesh’s 300th appearance for the Indian team! Can Harmanpreet and Co make the occasion even more special for him with a victory?
An important announcement from the FIH boss earlier today
Malaysia through to the final!
Defending champions South Korea were knocked out in the semi-finals of the ongoing tournament earlier today after suffering a 6-2 thrashing at the hands of a rampant Malaysia, who are through to their maiden final as a result!
Malaysia will now await the result of the India vs Japan semi-final to find out who they will be up against in the summit clash on Saturday.
India vs Japan Hockey LIVE Score
Japan’s road to semi-finals:
— Lost to South Korea 1-2
— Drew against India 1-1
— Drew against Pakistan 3-3
— Lost to Malaysia 1-3
— Defeated China 2-1
India vs Japan Hockey LIVE Score
India’s road to semi-finals:
— Defeated China 7-2
— Drew against Japan 1-1
— Defeated Malaysia 5-0
— Defeated South Korea 3-2
— Defeated Pakistan 4-0
India vs Japan Hockey LIVE Score
It’s often branded as a cliché when one says that raking in sports doesn’t matter but Japan proved it to be the truth in the group game against India. Playing in front of a cheerful and boisterous crowd in Chennai, India defeated China 7-2, Malaysia 5-0, South Korea 3-2 and arch-rivals Pakistan 4-0, but the only blemish in their highly impressive group stage campaign was the 1-1- draw against japan. Also, one mustn’t forget that India lost 3-5 to Japan in the semi-finals of the 2021 Asian Champions Trophy in Bangladesh.
Preview: In-form India face tricky Japan test in semi-finals