Last Update: January 09, 2023, 22:53 IST
Japan Hockey Team (Twitter/@TheHockeyIndia)
Japan arrived in Odisha on Monday and was accorded a warm welcome at the Biju Patnaik International Airport in Bhubaneswar.
Placed in a group with defending champions Belgium and Germany along with Korea, the Japan men’s hockey team aims to give their 100 per cent in every match at the FIH Odisha Hockey Men’s. World Cup 2023 Bhubaneswar-Rourkela.
Japan arrived in Odisha on Monday and was accorded a warm welcome at the Biju Patnaik International Airport in Bhubaneswar.
With Belgium, Korea and Germany in Pool B, head coach Akira Takahashi’s team will begin their FIH Odisha Men’s World Cup 2023 Bhubaneshwar-Rourkela campaign with a match against the German side on January 14. The Japan men’s hockey team will then face Korea and Belgium respectively in their group games.
Takahashi is confident of doing well in the tournament and wants his players to give their 100 per cent in the tournament.
“We have played in India First and excited to be here for the World Cup. We have some good players in our squad who can do well against the top teams in the tournament and it will be a pleasure to play in front of such a huge crowd. The tournament is full of top teams and we are ready to face them and deliver an exciting result,” said the head coach.
The head coach also highlighted their preparations for the group matches which also feature defending champions Belgium and Germany.
“Our team is really good and the players are confident in their abilities. We have top teams like Belgium and Germany in our group and matches against them in the group stage will be tough. However, we will give our 100 per cent in the match to win it.”
Japan captain Seiren Tanaka is also excited about the FIH Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup 2023 Bhubaneswar-Rourkela and wants to challenge the top teams in the tournament.
“All the players are excited to be here and we have big ambitions in the tournament. As a team, we want to play exciting hockey and we are confident that we will be able to win big matches at the FIH Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup 2023 Bhubaneswar-Rourkela Will be able to.” Tanaka said, “Our team has a lot of experience and that will be important for us.
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(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed)