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Asian Champions Trophy, India vs Japan preview: India will aim to make it two wins in as many outings and stay on top of the Asian Champions Trophy points table when they face Japan in their second outing of the tournament in Chennai on Friday. India began their campaign with a resounding 7-2 thrashing of China on Thursday evening at the Major Radhakrishnan Stadium, with skipper Harmanpreet Singh and Varun Kumar scoring a brace each. Sukhjeet Singh, Akashdeep Singh and Mandeep Singh also contributed to the goal-fest, while E Wenhui and Gao Jiesheng scored for the Chinese to lend some respectability to their performance. Japan, on the other hand, began their campaign with a 2-1 defeat against South Korea in what was a rematch of the 2021 Asian Champions Trophy final in Dhaka. Back then, the Japanese managed to hold the Koreans to a 3-3 draw before the latter prevailed 4-2 in the penalty shootout. In Thursday’s meeting, the Japanese seized the early lead courtesy Ryoma Ooka’s goal in the first quarter. Park Cheo-leon, however, would fire the equaliser for the Koreans 20 minutes later in the second quarter and Kim Jung-hoo would subsequently put them ahead in the 35th minute. The defending champions then held on to their lead till the final hooter to begin their title defence with a win.
India vs Japan Hockey Highlights, Asian Champions Trophy: FT IND 1-1 JPN; Spirited Japan hold hosts India to a draw
Asian Champions Trophy Hockey: FT India 1-1 Japan; Skipper Harmanpreet Singh scores the equaliser in the third quarter after Ken Nagayoshi puts the 2021 runners-up ahead close to half time as the two sides settle for a draw.
 "India vs Japan Hockey Highlights, Asian Champions Trophy: FT IND 1-1 JPN; Spirited Japan hold hosts India to a draw")
That brings us to the end of our coverage of the India vs Japan clash in the ongoing Asian Champions Trophy. India take on Malaysia, who have jumped to the top of the points table with a 5-1 win over China today, in their next outing on Sunday and the Harmanpreet Singh-led side will hope to return to winning ways in that game.
For now, this is Amit signing off, wishing you all a good night!
Malaysia leapfrog India to the top of the Asian Champions Trophy points table!
India vs Japan, Asian Champions Trophy LIVE
“Performance wise I think we played very well. We handled the ball very well. But the important thing is to finish it. I think they (Japan) defended very well,” says Harmanpreet Singh after the match.
India vs Japan, Asian Champions Trophy LIVE
FT: India 1-1 Japan
Q4, 15’: FULL TIME at the Major Radhakrishnan Stadium in Chennai, where a spirited Japanese side manage to hold tournament favourites India to a 1-1 draw to collect their first point of the tournament.
Though they managed to collect a point in the end, the Indians will be disappointed to not emerge victors tonight, especially since they were awarded four times as many PCs as the Japanese. Thanks to skipper Harmanpreet’s effort in the third quarter, they managed to save face and share points in the end!
India vs Japan, Asian Champions Trophy LIVE
India 1-1 Japan
Q4, 11’: Nilakanta has a golden opportunity to fire in the winner four minutes before the full-time whistle, but ends up fumbling in front of the goalpost. A minute later, Sukhjeet makes a spirited charge into the Japanese circle, but slips before he can put in a cross.
India vs Japan, Asian Champions Trophy LIVE
India 1-1 Japan
Q4, 9’: Japan opt for a referral after the Indians are awarded a fourth PC in this quarter, citing ‘Dangerous Play’ after a powerful aerial drill by Harmanpreet. Ultimately the PC is reversed and the Japanese are awarded a free hit instead.
India vs Japan, Asian Champions Trophy LIVE
India 1-1 Japan
Q4, 8’: India bag a third PC in this quarter, which happens to be third 13th overall, after an error by Japanese defender Kawahara. Varun’s flick, however, flies wide of the goalpost as the two teams remain on level terms.
India vs Japan, Asian Champions Trophy LIVE
India 1-1 Japan
Q4, 4’: A second PC for the Indians in the final quarter, and not much comes off it with the Japanese defenders stealing possession and pushing the ball towards the Indian circle.
India vs Japan, Asian Champions Trophy LIVE
India 1-1 Japan
Q4, 3’: OUCH! A Japanese defender cops a painful blow on his leg off a powerful flick from Harmanpreet after the hosts are awarded an 11th penalty corner shortly after the start of the final quarter. Play is halted temporarily as the referee calls for medical attention.
India vs Japan, Asian Champions Trophy LIVE
India 1-1 Japan
Q4, 1’: PR Sreejesh pads up to protect the Indian goalpost as the final quarter gets underway at the Major Radhakrishnan Stadium. Can India find the winner in the next 15 minutes?
India vs Japan, Asian Champions Trophy LIVE
India 1-1 Japan
Q3, 15’: The hooter goes off for a third time, as the third quarter comes to an end with the two teams on level terms at the moment!
India vs Japan, Asian Champions Trophy LIVE
India 1-1 Japan
Q3, 14’: GOAL! Who else but Harmanpreet Singh who fires in the equaliser for the Indians, firing the ball between keeper Takashi’s legs with a minute left in the third quarter! India finally score in their 10th penalty corner!
India vs Japan, Asian Champions Trophy LIVE
India 0-1 Japan
Q3, 13’: As had been the case in the previous quarter, a penalty corner is awarded with two minutes left in the quarter. It had been Japan in Q2, and now it’s India who get one in the dying minutes.
India vs Japan, Asian Champions Trophy LIVE
India 0-1 Japan
Q3, 6’: The ball does go past Japanese goalkeeper Takashi and into the post, but the goal isn’t awarded to the Indians! The reason — the last touch wasn’t off the stick of an Indian.
India vs Japan, Asian Champions Trophy LIVE
India 0-1 Japan
Q3, 4’: India get a penalty corner shortly after the start of the second half. As has been the case for the tournament hosts throughout the evening so far, they fail to convert another PC.
India vs Japan, Asian Champions Trophy LIVE
India 0-1 Japan
Q3, 1’: Change of ends for the two teams as the second half of the India vs Japan gets underway at the Major Radhakrishnan Stadium in Chennai. Can Harmanpreet and Co find the equaliser in the third quarter?
Here’s a look at some of the numbers from the first two quarters of the India vs Japan match:
India vs Japan, Asian Champions Trophy LIVE
HT India 0-0 Japan
Q2, 15’: Halftime at the Major Radhakrishnan Centre in Chennai, with Japan seizing the lead against the tournament hosts thanks to Nagayoshi’s successful conversion of a penalty corner in the dying minutes of the second quarter.
Can the Japanese hold on to the lead? Or will the Harmanpreet Singh-led side find a way to claw back in the next two quarters and collect two wins in as many outings?
Stay tuned to our live coverage. Play will resume after a short break.
India vs Japan, Asian Champions Trophy LIVE
India 0-1 Japan
Q2, 13’: GOAL! Ken Nagayoshi puts Japan ahead, successfully converting the penalty corner by slipping the ball through the narrow gap between goalkeeper Pathak and the lone defender standing in front of the goal!
India vs Japan, Asian Champions Trophy LIVE
India 0-0 Japan
Q2, 13’: Japan get a penalty corner with two minutes to go for half-time. Can they finally break the deadlock?
India vs Japan, Asian Champions Trophy LIVE
India 0-0 Japan
Q2, 10’: The Japanese manage to penetrate the Indian circle for the first time in this quarter, but defender Amit Rohidas manages to steal the ball from their possession and push it towards the midfield.
India vs Japan, Asian Champions Trophy LIVE
India 0-0 Japan
Q2, 3’: India make inroads into the Japanese circle not long after the ref’s whistle goes off to indicate the start of the second quarter. And though the Indian forwards manage to go past the defence, it’s the Japanese goalkeeper Takashi who pulls off a couple of quick saves to prevent India from opening their account.
India vs Japan, Asian Champions Trophy LIVE
India 0-0 Japan
Q1, 15’: More penalty corners for the Indians in the dying minutes of the first quarter, and the Japanese keep defending as if their life depends on it. India have had eight PCs in the first 15 minutes compared to Japan’s one, and ideally the home team should’ve been in the lead by now. Full credit to the Japanese defence so far.
With that, the first quarter comes to an end, with both teams yet to open their account.
India vs Japan, Asian Champions Trophy LIVE
India 0-0 Japan
Q1, 9’: And now Japan get a penalty corner, although like India earlier in the quarter, they too fail to breach the defence. What’s more, the Indians, led by Sukhjeet and Mandeep, produce a quick counter-attack although it eventually fizzles out close to the Japanese circle.
India vs Japan, Asian Champions Trophy LIVE
India 0-0 Japan
Q1: The two teams lineup to sing their respective national anthems before taking up their respective positions on the field. And soon enough, the match gets underway at the Major Radhakrishnan Stadium in Egmore, Chennai!
Here are the lineups for today’s game:
It's what we have all been waiting for 😍
— Hockey India (@TheHockeyIndia) August 4, 2023
Here is how India and Japan lineup of today's game.#HockeyIndia #IndiaKaGame #HACT2023 pic.twitter.com/7LGF3Gxe9U
How they’ve fared so far in the Asian Champions Trophy:
India: Defeated China 7-2
Japan: Lost to South Korea 2-1
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