Jakarta: Following its win over Japan on Friday, Indian Men’s Hockey Team has broken the Asian Games record for the highest number of goals (51) in a single edition of the tournament. They showcased an indomitable spirit and unstoppable energy scoring eight goals.
Zafar Iqbal’s team during the 1982 Asiad had last scored the highest number of goals.
Hockey India tweeted congratulating the team.
FT| The Indian Men’s Hockey Team score 8 goals past Japan in their third game of the @asiangames2018 as a master-class in the midfield from @manpreetpawar07 and @imsardarsingh8 helps the team dominate the turf on 24th August.#IndiaKaGame #AsianGames2018 #INDvJPN pic.twitter.com/lqxD0QsWJL
— Hockey India (@TheHockeyIndia) August 24, 2018
Japan was expected to put India’s defence under pressure for the first time in the tournament but the latter’s excellent midfield and forward line pegged Japan in its own area for the majority of the match.
Players Dilpreet, SV Sunil and Vivek Sagar, Akashdeep scored one goal each. Rupinder and Mandeep scored two each. India is now on the top of Pool A chart.
While India will play Korea in its next match, Japan will face Hong Kong China on Sunday.
Indian Men’s Hockey team, on August 22, in its second pool match against Hong Kong, broke its own 86-year-old record to register 26-0 victory margin. The previous best was 24-1 against USA. The record for biggest win in international hockey remains with New Zealand which beat Samoa 36-1 in 1994.
