India vs Japan, Asia Cup Hockey 2022 Highlights: India win bronze with 1-0 win over Japan

12 debutants in this squad, only Lakra and Simranjeet Singh were part of the squad that won bronze at the Tokyo Olympics and still they have walked away with a bronze medal here. These are very good signs and just shows the kind of depth that is there in men's hockey at the moment. No one in that Indian first XI can take their places for granted. On that positive note, we bid you goodbye. It has been a great tournament and we will be back with more hockey later in the year. Ciao!

“It was quite difficult. It is difficult to motivate ourselves for a match like this because we had not qualified for the final. But the coaches gave us tips of how to stay motivated for a game like this. We had lost to Japan in our first game against them in this tournament. But the boys trained, saw the videos and improved themselves with every game. I am very proud of them, it is a young team and they corrected their mistakes quickly,” says Birendra. 

1-0 it remains. They played the last one minute with 10 players with Manjeet getting a yellow card. Japan pushed with everything they had but it was not enough. This is basically an Indian reserve team made mostly of debutants and a few veterans and they have gone and won bronze in their first international tournament itself. This tournament was being seen as a way to provide match time for this team before they play at the Commonwealth Games, they surely have got more than what they aimed for here. 

Just over a minute left now in the match. Japan have got them pinned but they are yet to make a clear cut chance.

India steal the ball and all of a sudden, it is 2 v 1 in their favour because of which the Japanese goalkeeper comes off his line. Uttam charges at him and the goalie does well to close off the angles, the rest of the Japanese defence returns by this point. There seems to be a a collision between Uttam and the goalie and Japan choose to replace Takashi Yoshikawa altogether. 7 mins left in the match, India lead 1-0. 

Manjeet is among the first rushers as Japan get consecutive PCs. He is struck on the hand directly by a drag flick and India get a free hit but not before Manjeet gets some medical attention. 10 minutes to go in the match and India  still lead 1-0. 

Hardly any threat from Japan in this quarter. They had more possession in the first few minutes of the quarter but India had the better chances in that period, and the period after when India resumed their high press. 

With about 2 minutes left in the quarter, Maninder steals just as Japan try to take the ball out of their own D, passes it to Sunil. The veteran shows great stick work as he takes up the right hand flank and tries to cut back. The finish, however, is not there. 

India seems to be choosing to keep defending and attack on the counter at the moment. They may not have kept possession too well so far in the 3rd quarter but their circle penetrations have increased. 

We are seconds away from the start of the third quarter. Japan desperately searching for an equaliser, India trying to hold on to, and possibly extend their lead. 

Some good management from India in the final seconds of that second quarter to keep that 1-0 lead alive. 

India manage to keep Japan at bay when down to 10 men and when it goes back to 11v11, Manjeet gets a chance to score. But the Japanese keeper makes a good sace and keeps their deficit down to one goal. 

Back-to-back penalty corners for Japan but they fail to score on both occasions. They had the golden opportunity to get the equalizer but couldn't grab it.

India 1-0 Japan

Japan start the second quarter with a pushback again. They are trying to hold possesion now.

India 1-0 Japan

It's India who have their noses ahead after the first 15 minutes of the bronze medal match against Japan. Both sides have looked to attack but India have been slightly better in maintaining the pressure.

India 1-0 Japan

SV Sunil with the injection but Uttam Singh fails to gather it cleanly but his side run earns India their second penalty corner. A areat run from the captain Birender Lakra had earned India the first penalty corner of the match

India 1-0 Japan

GOAL! Rajkumar Pal draws first blood, gets India ahead in the bronze medal match with a stick deviation past the Japanese keeper. Scoring hasn't really been a problem for this Indian side in Asia Cup. Can they hold?

India 1-0 Japan

Japan have shifted the pressure right back on India. They have penatrated the circle twice but the Indian defence held firm on both occasions.

India 0-0 Japan

Multiple free-hits for India in the beginning of this match. Attaks from the left flank by Manjeet and then through the middle but Japan somehow manage to evade danger.

India 0-0 Japan

A push back from Japan to kickstart the bronze medal match. It results in a freehit for India. Already an energetic start to this match.

We are minutes away from the start of the match but before that, the players have lined up for the national anthem. Starting with India's followed by Japan's.

“We are improving individually as well as a team. We obviously were disappointed after losing to Korea. But we have played good hockey in this tournament. This team has the ability to play good hockey,” said India coach Sardar Singh.

Pawan Rajbhar has been a common name in India's scoresheets throughout this tournament. All eyes will once again be on him today. He had scored the last time these to teams met in the tournament. 

Here is India's starting XI for their Asia Cup 2022 bronze medal match against Japan. 

India have had a mixed bag in Asia Cup 2022. They were in danger of being knocked out of the group stages after losing their opening match to Japan but the youngsters came back strong first to beat Pakistan and then achieve a remarkable 16-0 win against the hosts Indonesia when they needed a margin of 15 goals to qualify for the Super 4s. In the Super 4 stage they beat Japan but draws against Malaysia and Korea held them back. India, Malaysia and Korea finished on five points each but Lakra-led side fell behind on goal difference.