Jakarta, May 26: Rising to the occasion, Indian men’s hockey team slammed six goals in the final quarter for a crushing 16-0 victory against Indonesia, a result that took the holders into the knockout stage of the Asia Cup but shut the World Cup door on Pakistan, here on Thursday.
India needed to win the Pool A contest by at least a 15-0 margin to qualify and the young players of the side delivered under pressure.
Both India and Pakistan finished on four points each in Pool A behind Japan but the defending champions qualified for the Super 4s due to better goal difference (1).
Pakistan had lost 2-3 to Japan earlier in the day.
The result not only pushed Pakistan out of the tournament but also dashed their hopes of World Cup qualification since only the top three teams here will be given tickets for the big event.
Dipsan Tirkey (5 goals) and Sudev Belimagga (3 goal) shared eight goals between them, playing a key role in team’s crucial win.
Veteran SV Sunil, Pawan Rajbhar and Karthi Selvam scored a brace each while Uttam Singh and Nilam Sanjeep Xess were the other goal getters for India.
With the odds stacked against them, India started on an attacking note. In the 10th minute, Rajbhar broke the shackles with a powerful shot from top of the circle.
Rajbhar doubled India’s lead a minute later through a rebound from the team’s first penalty corner.
A minute from the first quarter, India extended their lead through Uttam, who was at the right place at the right time to tap home.
India continued their attacking instinct and secured another penalty corner in the 19th minute from which Sunil scored.
A minute later, the Indians earned back-to-back penalty corners, the second of which was converted by Nilam Sanjeep Xess to make it 5-0.
In the 24th minute, Sunil deflected in Karthi Selvam’s pass to make it 6-0.
Minutes after the change of ends, India secured their seventh penalty corner but Junius Rumaropen made a double save once again.
In the 40th minute, Selvam tapped in after he was set by a brilliant Rajbhar, who dodged past three-four Indonesian defenders with his stickwork and strong play.
India secured three consecutive penalty corners and Dipsan scored from the last to keep the team’s hopes alive.
Dipsan scored his second from the penalty stroke in the 42nd minute.
Belimagga then scored two goals in a span of two minutes before Dipsan completed his hat-trick by converting India’s 14th penalty corner for a 12-0 score.
Tirkey then converted a penalty corner in the 47th minute before Sudev scored from a rebound from another set piece, five minutes from the hooter.
Desperate for goals, India attacked with numbers and their ploy bore fruit when Karthi Selvam scored from a field effort. Tirkey converted two more penalty corners in the final minute of the game to extend India’s stay in the tournament. (PTI)
