Harmanpreet Singh and Akashdeep Singh braced the Indian men’s hockey team to thrash Canada 8-0 at the Commonwealth Games to reach the top of Pool B on Wednesday.
Harmanpreet (7th, 54th minute) converted two penalty corners while Akashdeep Singh (38th, 60th minute) scored two fine field goals. Amit Rohidas (10th), Lalit Upadhyay (20th), Gurjant Singh (27th) and Mandeep Singh (58th) were the other goal scorers for India.
With the win, India moved to the top of the pool ahead of England. The Indian team will play Wales in their final group match on Thursday.
The Indians recovered from the shock of a 4-4 draw against England after taking a 3-0 lead at one stage in their last match as they came out with more aim and completely dominated Canada in the first two quarters .
India got their first chance in the fifth minute in the form of a back-to-back penalty corner but Canada’s Balraj Panesar scored Harmanpreet’s second attempt.
But Harmanpreet could not be denied for long as she gave India the lead with a powerful drag-flick from another set piece two minutes later.
Three minutes later, defender Rohidas scored a brilliant field goal. He came into the circle with his silky stick work and dropped the ball home after receiving a defence-splitting long ball from Varun Kumar.
The Indians continued the sequence in the second quarter as well, scoring two quick penalty corners in the 19th minute, the second of which was successful.
Canadian goalkeeper Ethan McTavish kept Varun Kumar’s flick away and gave India a 3-0 lead.
The Canadian custodian made another fine save in the 24th minute to put Abhishek’s reverse shot outside the top of the circle. McTavish made another fine save to remove Jugraj Singh from another penalty corner.
A few seconds later, a diving Gurjant removed Hardik Singh’s pass from the left bank to extend India’s lead.
Canada got a penalty corner in the 28th minute but could not capitalize on it as India entered the half-break with a comfortable 4-0 lead.
The Indians kept up the pressure after a change of head and increased attacks after attacks on the Canadian stronghold.
In the 38th minute, Akashdeep scored with a slap shot after being set up by a one-touch game each by skipper Manpreet Singh and Nilkanta Singh.
In the fourth and final quarter, McTavish made a double save from a penalty corner to deny Mandeep and Vivek Sagar Prasad.
Soon after, Canada secured a penalty corner, but India defended the opportunity.
In the last six minutes of the match, India scored three more goals which came from the batons of Harmanpreet, Mandeep and Akashdeep.
The Indian women’s hockey team also defeated Canada 3-2 to enter the semi-finals. On the other hand, Lovepreet Singh won a bronze medal in the 109 kg weightlifting event. Neetu and Husamuddin also assured their opponents of two more medals at the Commonwealth Games.
Overall, it has proved to be a great day for the Indian team.
(Inputs PTI)