First Quarter
India's defeat to Australia yesterday did not disrupt their attacking rhythm as they started on the offensive and looked menacing right from the start and it took the Indian side just seven minutes to get the scoreboard ticking. It was the ever reliable Rupinderpal Singh who got India started with a well converted first penalty corner. The replacement goalie Akash Chikte, who will now be a regular after PR Sreejesh has been ruled out of the tournament with an MCL injury, made a bad call and almost conceded the equaliser a couple of minutes later. However, Japan had found their rhythm and in the 14th minute equalised through their forward Tanaka. Unperturbed by the goal, India won another penalty corner two minutes before the end of the first quarter but found Japenese goalie Suguru Shimmotoupto the challenge this time around as the two teams went off for the first interval with a score of 1-1.
Second Quarter
After the interval, it was the Japanese side that took the offensive as they tried to fashion a couple of half chances that the Indian defense was able to clear away. India upped the ante as the quarter progressed but the Japenese defence stood strong as both teams refused to give the other any sort of advantage. Chikte was called into action again in the 26th minute and the 24-year old made up for his mistake in the first quarter when he saved a Japenese shot to keep the scores level. Japan's Ohashi had the best chance of the quarter when some lazy defending by India led to the former getting shot away but as the ball went wide of the target, the Indian camp breathed a huge sigh of relief. Having been the second best team in the quarter, India had had a great chance to take a lead just before the mid-point break when the ball looped off Shimmoto’s foot and the referee awarded the Indians a penalty corner. However, Rupinder Pal Singh's shot had the power to beat the Japan shot-stopper but it lacked the accuracy and the teams headed for a half-time interval with the scores level at one goal a piece.
Early in the third quarter, SV Sunil used his experience to try and put India in front but his reverse shot was expertly saved by Shimmoto, who was enjoying a great game. The Indian and Japenese sides went toe to toe with each other and kept nullifying each other's attacking efforts but it was the Japenese who found a chink in Indian's defence when Chikte was caught out of position. Yoshihara capitalised on the glorious opportunity he had been presented with as he fired home from the edge of the box to put his side in the lead. But India went on the offensive and soon had the equaliser though Mandeep Singh, a couple of minutes, as he flicked Rupinder Pal Singh's low ball into the area into the Japan net. But just as India had finished celebrating Akash Chikte was beaten for a third time in as many quarters. Genki Mitani put the ball past the Indian keeper with seconds to go as japan took the lead for a third time in the game.
Fourth Quarter
The Indian side, however, was not ready to give up just yet and they started on an offensive note winning a penalty corner within five minutes. But Rupinder's was finding it difficult to put the ball past Shimmoto as the Japanese keeper managed to get a strong hand on the shot and even though the ball fell kindly for Aakashdeep Singh, his shot was well off target. going into the last 10 minutes, India created another chance only this time Mandeep Singh doubled his tally for the game as India levelled the game again. The match was evenly poised and appeared to be headed for a draw but Mandeep Singh had other ideas as he completed his hat-trick, two minutes from time to secure India's second win of the tournament.
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