Captain Harmanpreet Singh led admirably as the India men’s hockey team mauled defending champions Japan 5-1 to reclaim the Asian Games gold, their fourth in
the continental showpiece, after nine years and qualify for next year’s Paris Olympics here on Friday.
The Indians, who had to be content with a bronze medal in the last edition in Jakarta, thus won their fourth Asian Games gold and the first since 2014 Incheon. India’s other gold medals came in 1966 and 1998, both times in Bangkok.
South Korea won the bronze after eking out a close 2-1 win over China.
Harmanpreet (32nd, 59th minute) scored a brace through penalty corners, Amit Rohidas (36th) also sounded the board from a set-piece, while Manpreet Singh (25th) and Abhishek (48th) found the net from field efforts.
Seren Tanaka converted a penalty corner for Japan in the 51st minute.
Harmanpreet finished the tournament as India’s top scorer with 13 goals, one ahead of striker Mandeep Singh.
Goalkeeping stalwart PR Sreejesh said securing the Paris Olympic quota place with nearly 10 months to go for the Games will give the team time to prepare properly.
“The main thing is we get a year to prepare for the Olympics, that’s the best part. At the last Olympics we did a great job, then the Asian Championships, now the Asian Games,” he said.
“Whenever we play at an Asian Games it always comes into our minds about it being a ticket to the Olympic Games. Japan put on a wonderful display. They made an effort to score more goals, which gave us control of the game.”
He added that while India had a lot of exposure to European teams in the lead-up to the Asian Games, all continental teams were dangerous because they gave it their all on the field.
“All the Asian countries are here to win the tournament and get to Paris (Olympics). We definitely have more exposure playing against most of the European countries, but when it’s on the fieldthe (Asian teams) give 100 per cent,” added Sreejesh.
Midfielder Vivek Sagar Prasad said the team’s strategy in all the matches was to defend doggedly. “Offence wins matches but defence wins you championships. That is our mantra and why we achieved what we did here,” he said.
India chief coach Craig Fulton said the team will test its Olympic preparations during the Pro League season next year. Asked whether India needed to raise their competitive level for the Paris Games, Fulton said: “No. That would come in time as you know the Pro League is in February, so that’s the way we will test there.”
Tirkey praise
Hockey India president Dilip Tirkey, a gold medal winner in the 1998 Bangkok Asiad, was a happy man.
“Every player, coach and support staff knew that we had to win the gold. Everyone was clear about that. The entire team performed brilliantly. Be it experienced players
like Sreejesh or a greenhorn like Abhishek.”
Written with inputs from PTI
