In a compelling demonstration of skill and tactics, India’s Men’s Hockey team obliterated Bangladesh with a 12-0 score in the Asian Games Hangzhou 2022, ensuring a smooth sail into the semifinals. The action unfolded at the Hangzhou Sports Park Stadium, showcasing India’s determination to clinch the gold once more.
As the whistle blew, marking the commencement of this Pool A contest, it didn’t take long for the Indian team to lay down the marker. With just 2 minutes into the game, Captain Harmanpreet Singh signaled the team’s intent with a perfectly executed penalty corner. Not stopping at that, he doubled the lead at the 4th minute with another smashing penalty corner.
The Bangladeshi defense seemed to crumble under the aggressive Indian onslaught, failing to intercept or retaliate. The first quarter saw Bangladesh overwhelmed, trailing by two goals with no response.
As the game progressed into the second quarter, Mandeep Singh joined the goal fest with a neat field goal at the 18th minute, followed by Lalit Kumar Upadhyay who found the back of the net five minutes later. Mandeep Singh wasn’t done yet, as he fired another one from a penalty corner at the 24th minute, amassing a 5-0 lead before halftime.
With a significant lead, India showed no signs of slowing down. The third quarter witnessed Amit Rohidas and Harmanpreet Singh further widening the gap with goals at the 28th and 32nd minutes respectively.
The final quarter was nothing short of a nightmare for the Bangladesh team as India went on a scoring spree. ABHISHEK struck the ball hard into the net at the 41st and 57th minutes while Mandeep Singh completed his hat-trick at the 46th minute. Sharma Nilakanta, Singh Gurjant, and ABHISHEK too found themselves on the score sheet, tallying the score to an astonishing 12-0 by the final whistle.
This emphatic victory underlined India’s dominating performance in the tournament, as they topped Pool A with 15 points from 5 games, boasting a goal difference of +53. India’s impeccable performance not only assures them a spot in the semifinals but also sends a clear message to the rest of the competitors about the high level of preparation and ambition driving the team. The quest for gold is evidently clear, and with this kind of form, India is certainly a formidable contender.
The road to the finals now sees India brimming with confidence, as they await to face their next adversary in the semifinals, eyeing a spot in the golden finale.
