Japan beat India: India suffer shock defeat, to play Pakistan for Bronze

Asian Champions Trophy LIVE – India vs Japan LIVE- Defending champions & Olympic bronze medallist India Hockey Team suffered a shock defeat on Tuesday as they lost to Japan in the semi-finals of the Asian Champions Trophy. Having defeated the same opposition 6-0 two days earlier, India succumbed to a 5-3 defeat, in what will be a disappointing result for the Men in Blue. India will now face arch-rivals Pakistan in the bronze medal match. Follow India vs Japan LIVE updates from ACT Hockey 2021 on InsideSport.IN

India will be aiming to replicate its super show in the semifinal as they mauled the same opponent in the league stage.

Japan has never beaten India in all 10 meetings & will again be underdogs.

Harmanpreet scores twice, India dominate to win 6-0 lead vs Japan in perfect semi-final preparation

Asian Champions Trophy: India suffer shock 5-3 defeat in semi-finals to Japan, to play Pakistan in Bronze medal match

India fought back in the second half but couldn’t get past the Japan barrier. 🏑

Well played, #MenInBlue. #IndiaKaGame #HeroACT2021 pic.twitter.com/IckD5pCdMK

— Hockey India (@TheHockeyIndia) December 21, 2021

India vs Japan 4th quarter

Full-time. India 3-5 Japan.
GOAL!! Hardik converts penalty corner move, India need two more to equalise with a minute to play.
MISS! Lalit Upadhayay fails to get the shot in, India trail by 5-2.
India win another penalty corner, will Harmanpreet Kaur convert?
MISS! Shilanand attempts on goal but fails to convert as the match continues to slip away
GOAL!! Harmanpreet Singh converts a penalty corner to grab India’s second of the game.
Nagayoshi concedes a penalty corner, India have a chance to reduce the deficit.
Rajkumar Pal hits a shot, goes just wide of the far post as India eye an impossible task.

India vs Japan 3rd Quarter

SAVE! Takashi makes a solid save to deny Lalit Upadhayay. India struggling to breach Japan’s defence.
GOAL!! Ooka finishes off a fine counter-attack, as Japan go 5-1 ahead in Q3
GOAL! Japan pile on the misery, go 4-1 lead after an incisive move in 3rd quarter.
Suraj Karkera makes a fine save, denies Kenta Tanaka point blank.
India start well, but Japan continue to hold the sway and remain in lead.

India vs Japan 2nd Quarter

GOAL! Kirishita scores, Japan restore two-goal lead, go 3-1 ahead.
Krishan Pathak concedes a penalty stroke as he brings down Kenta Tanaka.
SAVE!! Krishan Pathak makes a super save to deny Japan a third.
Takashi makes a series of fine saves to deny Olympics bronze medallist as India push on for equaliser.
India win their first penalty corner with Manpreet Singh making a fine run into the circle.
GOALL!! India make a perfect start to the second quarter with Dilpreet Singh finishing off a fine counterattack to reduce the deficit.

India vs Japan 1st Quarter

Japan continue to keep India at bay, India yet to register a shot on target.
India take control of possession but struggle to make much of it as Japan look in cruise control.
GOAL!! Japan take a 2-0 lead as Fujishima converts a penalty corner to hand Japan the advantage.
India struggle to contain, Japan win fifth penalty corner in inside 90 seconds.
Japan refer, win a penalty corner as the Asian champions make a brisk start.
GOAL!! Yamada converts penalty stroke less than a minute in to go 1-0.
Japan make positive start, push for another penalty corner.
Japan win the penalty corner in the very first minute as Suraj Karkera comes out of his line to make the save.

𝗧𝗘𝗔𝗠 𝗡𝗘𝗪𝗦 📰

🇮🇳’s lineup for their Semi-Final clash against Japan in today’s game of Hero Asian Men’s Champions Trophy Dhaka 2021 🏆#IndiaKaGame #HeroACT2021 pic.twitter.com/GzvUaM7vh7

— Hockey India (@TheHockeyIndia) December 21, 2021

ACT Semifinals LIVE – India vs Japan LIVE

Hero Asian Champions Trophy Dhaka 2021

Semi-Final 02
India vs Japan
1800 Bangladesh Time

Live Stream: https://t.co/WyFQvHvU5A #HeroACT2021 pic.twitter.com/RU4XXjrA08

— Asian Hockey Federation (@asia_hockey) December 20, 2021

Asian Champions Trophy Semifinal LIVE: India vs Japan

India, meanwhile, need to guard against complacency as any slip-up could spoil all their hard work. They ended the round-robin stage of the five-nation tournament at the top of the standings with 10 points, ahead of Korea (6), Pakistan (5), Japan (5) and hosts Bangladesh (0).

#MenInBlue are at the 🔝! 💙

At the end of the league phase, let’s have a look at how the Hero Men’s Asian Champions Trophy Dhaka 2021 league table looks. #IndiaKaGame #HeroACT2021 pic.twitter.com/YC96VjZ0n5

— Hockey India (@TheHockeyIndia) December 19, 2021

Asian Champions Trophy Semifinal LIVE: Confident India start as overwhelming favourites against minnows Japan- Follow LIVE updates

The start was far from ideal for India. Playing their first tournament after their historic Tokyo Olympics campaign, the Indians were held 2-2 by South Korea before turning things around with a resounding 9-0 win over Bangladesh, followed by 3-1 victory over arch-rivals Pakistan and the thrashing of Japan.

Vice-captain Harmanpreet Singh has been a revelation not just at the back but from penalty corners as well, converting two against Japan on Sunday. And, he definitely will pose a big threat for the Japanese.

The Indian midfield is also being held together brilliantly by skipper Manpreet and Hardik Singh. The forwardline of Dilpreet Singh, Jarmanpreet Singh, Akashjdeep Singh and Shamsher Singh too has shone bright in the tournament so far, scoring some fine field goals.

Asian Champions Trophy Semifinal LIVE: Confident India start as overwhelming favourites against minnows Japan- Follow LIVE updates

The Indians completely outperformed Japan in all departments of the game in their league match and they would eye an encore in the semifinal as well. The Japanese will have to lift their game by leaps and bounds and play out of their skin to give themselves any chance of registering an upset win.

Young Suraj Karkera has been brilliant under the bar for India, making some brilliant saves throughout the tournament while the Harmanpreet-led Indian backline too defended stoutly, saving as many as five penalty corners against Japan on Sunday.

However, the Indian defence will need to be a little more cautious on Tuesday and concentrate on not conceding too many penalty corners, which could hurt them as past results hardly matter in knockout-stage matches.

Asian Champions Trophy Semifinal LIVE: Confident India start as overwhelming favourites against minnows Japan- Follow LIVE updates

A slight slip-up or lapse in concentration can derail India’s campaign and spoil their second successive ACT title. India had won the title jointly with Pakistan in the last edition in Muscat.

Meanwhile, South Korea face Pakistan in the first semifinal on Tuesday.

Asian Champions Trophy Semifinal: India vs Japan LIVE

India vs Japan: Head-to-Head- India lead 10-0 in one-sided rivalry