India pip Pakistan for bronze; Japan triumph
jakarta — India maintained their recent domination over arch-rivals Pakistan with a fighting 2-1 win to bag a consolation men’s bronze medal after a below-par semifinal performance at the 18th Asian Games on Saturday.
Later, Japan staged a spectacular regulation time comeback to draw 6-6 before edging out Malaysia 3-1 in a penalty shootout and claim the gold. Trailing 4-1 in the second period and then 5-2 in the fourth, Japan pumped in three goals through Kentaro Fukuda, Kenta Tanaka and Koji Yamasaki in a seven-minute blitz to level the pulsating contest.
Tengku Ahmad Tajuddin completed his hat trick in the 59th minute to put Malaysia ahead again. But Hiromasa Ochiai levelled when he scored from a penalty corner with 13 seconds left to force the shootout won by Japan who already have a place at the Tokyo Games as hosts.
Akashdeep Singh scored a brilliant field goal in the third minute while Harmanpreet Singh extended India’s advantage in the 50th minute off a penalty corner. Muhammad Atiq increased the heart rate of Indian fans reducing the margin in the 52nd minute from a counter-attack. But the Indians didn’t repeat the same mistake which they committed against Malaysia in the semifinals and managed to hold on to the lead to at least reedem some pride.
World number five India, who came into the event as favourites being the defending champions, will go back home with a bronze, having beaten 13th ranked Pakistan for the second time in the last three months. The Indians had defeated Pakistan 4-0 in the Champions Trophy in June. After the semifinal heartbreak, India on Saturday seemed like a team on a mission from the first minute. After creating a couple of early chances, the Indians struck as early as in the third minute through Akashdeep. —