India routs Korea 9-1 on way to AHF Junior Men Asia Cup final
Playing attacking and pulsating hockey, defending champions India set aside the challenge of South Korea 9-1 to reach the final of the AHF Hockey Junior Men Asia Cup at Sultan Qaboos Youth Complex for Culture and Entertainment at Salalah in Oman on Wednesday. India now awaits the winner of the other semi-final between Pakistan and Malaysia for the summit clash.
India has already qualified for the 2023 FIH World Cup for Junior Men to be played in Kuala Lumpur in December.
India started with style leaving little or no doubt of its superiority in every department of the game. Though the Koreans put up a spirited resistance in the opening quarter till 13th minute when Sunit Lakra with a brilliant field goal broke the deadlock. In the second quarter, it was lanky Araijit Singh Hundal who consolidated the lead with his typical reverse flick from the top of the circle.
With 2-0 lead at the breather, India came back strongly in the third quarter, scoring in quick succession as the Koreans started showing signs of breaking up against the continuous onslaughts of the defending champions.
In the first eight minutes of the third quarter, India took its tally to 6-0 with a brace from Boby Singh Dhami, Angad Bir Singh and skipper Uttam Singh.
Boby Singh Dhami was adjudged man of the match.
In the concluding quarter India conceded a goal to Korea when Hwang Keonyeol made no mistake from a penalty corner conversion in the 46th minute.
India again stormed back into the game with three goals in the final quarter to make it an impressive 9-1 tally.
Boby Singh Dhami completed his hat-trick as Sharda Nand Tiwari converted a penalty corner and Vishnukant Singh scored a field goal to complete the Indian tally.
India has so far scored 48 goals (18 against Chinese Taipei, three against Japan, one against Pakistan, 17 against Thailand and nine against Korea) and conceded three (one each against Japan, Pakistan and Korea).
Prabhjot Singh