India continued their strong performance in the men's Asian Champions Trophy with a convincing 5-1 victory over Japan. The match, held on Monday, saw Sukhjeet Singh scoring twice, while Abhishek, Sanjay, and Uttam Singh also contributed goals.
Sukhjeet Singh opened the scoring in the second minute and added another in the 60th minute. Abhishek scored in the 3rd minute, Sanjay in the 17th, and Uttam Singh in the 54th. Japan's lone goal came from Matsumoto Kazumasa in the 41st minute.
India, the four-time champions, had previously defeated China 3-0 in their opening game. In this match, India managed two penalty corners compared to Japan's five.
India will face Malaysia, the runners-up from the last edition, on Wednesday, with Tuesday serving as a rest day. The top four teams from the round-robin stage will advance to the semifinals on September 16, with the final scheduled for September 17.
In this match, India dominated with 67% ball possession, making 11 circle entries and taking three shots on goal. Despite Japan's attempt to build a structured attack, India’s defense, led by goalie Krishan Pathak, managed to keep the team in control. Jarmanpreet Singh played a crucial role in assisting Uttam Singh’s goal, and Sukhjeet Singh sealed the win with his second goal.
“It was a complete team effort today and we stuck to basics. We produced good attacks and ensured we were on target,” said Hero of the Match Abhishek.
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