• By Manik Sharma
  • Sun, 24 Sep 2023 11:55 AM (IST)
  • Source:JND
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Indian men's hockey team secured a resounding 16-0 victory against Uzbekistan in their inaugural match of the Asian Games 2023 Pool A at the Gongshu Canal Sports Park Stadium in Hangzhou, People’s Republic of China, on Sunday.

Lalit Upadhyay, Varun Kumar, and Mandeep Singh each scored a hat-trick in the Pool A match.

Facing the world No. 66 Uzbeks, the world No. three Indian team controlled the game from start to finish. Lalit Upadhyay scored four goals (7th, 24th, 37th, 53rd), while Varun Kumar also added four to his name (12th, 36th, 50th, 52nd). Mandeep Singh found the net thrice (18th, 27th, 28th minutes). Abhishek (17th), Amit Rohidas (38th), Sukhjeet (42nd), Shamsher Singh (43rd), and Sanjay (57th) contributed to the goal fest.

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India's captain, Harmanpreet Singh, was rested for the match after serving as the joint flag-bearer during the opening ceremony. India's forward-line displayed exceptional coordination with the midfield, resulting in 10 field goals.

In the opening minutes of the match, Lalit Upadhyay capitalised on a penalty corner, giving India a 1-0 advantage. Shortly thereafter, Varun Kumar extended India's lead with another successful penalty corner. As the first quarter drew to a close, India held a comfortable 2-0 lead.

India's dominance continued into the second quarter, where they swiftly scored two field goals courtesy of Abhishek and Mandeep Singh. Lalit Upadhyay added his second goal, bringing India's tally to five.

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Mandeep Singh then showcased his prowess by scoring two goals in just two minutes, securing a remarkable hat-trick and propelling India to a commanding 7-0 lead at halftime.

Following halftime, India maintained their relentless performance, adding an additional nine goals to their score, ultimately completing a resounding 16-0 victory.

While India secured numerous penalty corners (14 in total), they converted only five.

India will face Singapore in their next pool match.