Chennai:Having scored 20 goals and an unbeaten run so far in the Asian Champions Trophy hockey tournament, India has everything it takes to take on Japan which they drew 1-1 earlier in the league stages.
The hosts key to win will be to maintain their intensity throughout the 60 minutes of the game and consistency in finishing. Japan has been beaten twice in the league stages once by South Korea and Malaysia while it managed a draw with India and Pakistan. Japan beat China in their opening game.
Whereas, India, having home crowd advantage, will start as favourites. The hosts remain unbeaten in the round-robin stage and have won four matches and drawing one with Japan to top the points table. Japan is the only side the Indian team has not defeated in the tournament.
Though there is a wide gap in the world rankings, the hosts have been defeated by the visitors - Japan during their encounter in the semifinals of the 2021 edition in Dhaka. India lost to Japan 3-5, after thrashing the same opponent 6-0 in the league stage. India is world number four while the visiting Japan is occupying the 19th spot in the rankings.
Despite being the highest goal scorer in the tournament, the hosts could not galore against Japan and the visitors stopped India at 1-1 to draw the first league match. India was seen struggling to finish their Penalty Corners against Japan. This will remain as the crucial area India will work on while playing against their opponents.
In the last match, Indian side could convert only one of the 15 PCs they earned against Japan. It will be imperative for them to mend their ways to convert their PCs, which they earn during the game.
After India thrashed arch-rivals Pakistan by 4-0, Craig Fulton observed that his team's consistency in all the four quarters of the match will hold the key to victory.
"We had some good consistency in each quarter (against Pakistan), which we did the same during the Japan game. We also had more penetration into the circle in each quarter than Japan. So, it will be about maintaining consistency and not doing it just one way," Fulton said.
India vice-captain and midfielder Hardik Singh subscribed to his coach Fulton and argued that patience would help them get more goals against Japan besides the final execution inside the box.
"We expect to carry the same momentum. But, we still need to have more patience inside the box, which is extremely important. Also, we need to set up the tempo of the game. We will be treating them (Japan) as a top team."
For Japan, they found a berth to the semifinals by surging ahead of Pakistan with their better goal difference. Japan and Pakistan have five points each from the league stages. Japan's goal difference is minus two while that of Pakistan in minus five.
Despite India being favourites to win Friday night, Japan will try to pull off a brilliant performance as they did earlier against India. Japan's defense has been impressive. Japanese defenders were clearly marking and tackling the Indian attackers during the penalty corners. Their attack line-up doesn't fire like India, though.
On Friday, Malaysia which is placed second in the table will taken on defending champions South Korea in the first semifinal of the tournament. Malaysia whose impressive performance with four wins and a loss makes them clear favourites against South Korea whose campaign would end, if it loses today. (with PTI inputs)
