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03:02
Asian Champions Trophy: India face Japan in semifinals
When the veteran Indian custodian steps onto the Mayor Radhakrishnan Hockey Stadium pitch on Friday in India’s semifinal in opposition to Japan, will probably be the 300th worldwide look for former India captain Sreejesh in a adorned profession spanning virtually twenty years.
The second might be nostalgic for the 35-year-old Sreejesh in additional methods than one.
Whereas Sreejesh comes from Kerala, he’s registered as a participant with the Tamil Nadu state
hockey federation, throughout which era he performed home hockey for the Indian Abroad Financial institution. These recollections will come flooding again in his 300th recreation for India.
02:49
Asian Champions Trophy: India defeat Pakistan
“This exceptional achievement is a testomony to his unwavering dedication, distinctive abilities and unyielding ardour for the game,” wrote former India coach and present USA males’s workforce coach Harendra Singh in a Fb publish.
“Sreejesh has not solely guarded the Indian goalpost with unparalleled prowess, however has additionally impressed numerous aspiring athletes throughout the nation,” added Harendra, who fondly calls Sreejesh ‘Jangoo’.
However the bigger intention of the sport on Friday is to qualify for the ultimate and beat Japan, which is the one workforce India hasn’t crushed on this competitors to this point and managed to verify India’s techniques.
06:56
It is virtually like a clean canvas for me with all of the gamers: India hockey coach Craig Fulton
The league-stage assembly between the 2 groups led to a 1-1 draw, however the house workforce’s Chief Coach Craig Fulton believes if his boys can present some higher scoring consistency than their earlier match in opposition to Japan within the event, then the ultimate scoreline must be of their favour.
The top-to-head could also be closely loaded in India’s favour however the reigning Asian Video games champions aren’t any push-overs, and might unsettle any workforce with their pace and stamina on the pitch.
In 34 matches between the 2 groups, India have gained 27 and misplaced solely 3. The opposite 4 video games ended as drawn affairs.
Harmanpreet Singh will stay the largest risk for the Japanese Samurai if the Indian forwards can create sufficient penalty corners, which is the place Japan would wish to fortify their defence and scale back the variety of Indian circle penetrations.
With 7 targets, the event’s high goal-scorer Harmanpreet has been the toast of the Chennai crowd during the last week. Led by his drag-flick dominance, India additionally head the general scoring charts with 20 targets, which embrace 14 off penalty corners — once more essentially the most by any of the six groups within the competitors.
That helped India to 4 wins in 5 league video games and end on high of the factors desk with 13 factors, adopted by Malaysia, who had 12, whereas No. Three South Korea and No. Four Japan had 5 factors every and have been separated by objective distinction.
South Korea will tackle Malaysia within the first semifinal on Friday, preceded by the Fifth-Sixth playoff recreation between China and Pakistan.
Japan should thank India for his or her top-four end to qualify for the semis as a result of it was India’s overwhelming 4-Zero win over Pakistan that allowed Japan to leapfrog Pakistan, who additionally had 5 factors, on objective distinction.
However the groups wish to bury these numbers and concentrate on the match that issues.
In coach Fulton’s phrases: “The event begins now”.
Watch Asian Champions Trophy: India face Japan in semifinals