India defeated Japan 3-2 to register their second straight win in the Hockey Asia Cup 2025. With this victory, the Olympic bronze medallists have confirmed their place in the Super Fours of the competition. India had earlier defeated China 4-3.
India overcame a tough Japanese challenge in their second match of the Hockey Asia Cup, registering a 3-2 win to clinch their second consecutive match and ensure a place in the Super Fours of the tournament. Harmanpreet Singh scored twice, while Raj Kumar Pal scored once in another gripping encounter.
The Indians were more aggressive in the first quarter of the game, unlike in their previous clash against China, where they had to wait for their moments. However, once the match went further, the Japanese put pressure on the Indians, especially in the last quarter, when their skipper, Harmanpreet, was on the bench due to a two-minute suspension.
Harmanpreet, the hat-trick scorer from the previous game, had another prolific outing. He converted two penalty corners to play a crucial role in the win. Meanwhile, the hosts would be happy to have scored an on-field goal, with Mandeep scoring one for India.
The Indians were pressing hard in the first quarter. Jarmanpreet Singh gave a nice pass to Sukhjeet down the left flank, with the 28-year-old then setting a brilliant ball for Mandeep across the face of the goal for Mandeep to trap it in and score the opener.
Soon enough, Harmanpreet converted the third penalty corner of the match with a fierce drag flick, lasering it into the goal in the fifth minute. The Japanese then had their moments with a couple of PCs late in the first quarter, with Krishnaย Pathak, playing his 150th match for India, saving them well.
The Indians kept showing good intent in the second and third quarters, too and had a few chances, including that ofย Sukhjeet’s when he hit a ball wide to the goal. Harmanpreet then failed to get his stick on what could have been a spectacular on-field goal in the 35th minute.
Japan pulled one back withย Kawabe finding the back of the net in the 36th minute before Harmanpreet found another goal through a PC to send the hosts 3-1 at the end of the third quarter. The Indians had their chances but could not find another goal. The Japanese tried putting the hosts under the pump in the final quarter, but Suraj Karkera, stepping in for Krishna, did some good work until Kawabe scored another one with a PC strike after the Japanese got a few chances. They pushed for some more chances, but the Indians held on and clinched the game 3-2 to ensure their place in the Super Fours.