India vs Japan, Hockey Asia Cup 2025 Highlights: IND survive late JPN pressure to win 3-2

And breath. A tense last minute as Japan suddenly put 10-man India pressure with Harmanpreet Singh being shown a yellow card. But the hosts survive and they are through to the Super 4s now - only one of Japan or China can cow get to six points. 

Harmanpreet has received a yellow card and this is now turning into a crazy last minute of the match. Surely Japan are not going to turn this all the way around, are they? 

Suddenly, it's a tense finish. Kawabe holds off Jarmanpreet, turns around and hits the ball into goal as he fell. Second goal of the match for him. 

Karkera has had more work to do today than Pathak despite playing only this quarter of the match. Nagayoshi's flick hits an Indian foot and India get another PC. That second one is saved brilliantly by Karkera but that ball bounced up off him above waist level. So another PC, this time the Indian defence takes it away. 

57th min: Japan win a PC just as we go into the last two minutes of the match! Sumit penalised for a stick on stick challenge on the baseline. India go for a referral and they lose that one. 

56th min: Into the last five minutes we go and India keeping the ball to themselves almost exclusively, even as they put in an attack now and then. If India win this match, they seal the top spot in this group and so well, any more goals that they try to score here will be for their pride more than anything else. And well, why not.

48th min: Japan win a PC, the dragflic smashes through the Indian rushes towards the right corner and Karkera saves it brilliantly with his leg. Japan work it back in, Yamazaki gets the ball off a deflection and smashes it goalwards, Karkera dives and saves it quite sensationaly. 

Suraj Karkera is in goal for this final quarter, Krishan Bahadur Pathak taken off. India would really like to get a few more goals here, especially considering China have got some hits from sweet goal difference nectar due to their romp over Kazakhstan earlier today. 

Of course he scores. India restore their 2-goal lead going into the short break before the fourth quarter! He nails the dragflick, smashing it right through the keeper's legs to restore India's two-goal lead going into the end of the third quarter. 

Wow PC given just under a second before the hooter was blown. This means that this PC will be taken and only then, will this quarter end. Harmanpreet at the ready, here we go!

42nd min: But there is a sense of frustration within the Indian camp now. They are trying to put together a goal but the Japanese defence standing strong and not allowing the Indians any time inside the D. Fulton prowling around on the sides, giving Manpreet instructions as he is getting ready to get back on. 

36th min: That has come out of nowhere. A love run forward by Kimura and then pass to Kawabe, who has his back to the goal when he receives it. He hits it on the turn and beats Pathak! Well, India have been guilty of wasting a few chances and now, their lead is cut in half. 

35th min: Vinayakk Mohanarangan | Oh wow! That would have been a collector’s item. With Japan going on the attack, there is a counterattack opportunity for India. Abhishek makes a driving run through the middle, pause, finds Sukhjeet with a nice pass, who hits the ball across — it was a pass-cum-shot, it felt like. And who was there as furthest Indian player? Harmanpreet Singh. Right in front of the goalkeeper. But Yoshikawa’s dive forward throws Harmanpreet off and he is unable to find the touch. That would have been a rare, rare field goal for Harmanpreet if he had gotten the deflection, would have been quite the sight.

All right, here we go for the second half. India straightaway India take the initiative, driving the ball forward and keeping possession near the Japanese D. 

Well if you were wondering why India are considered runaway favourites in this tournament during that first match against China, you would've got your answer in this first half. India have been just too good for Japan and the fact that they stll haven't been at their best is the reason why they have just two goals to show in this half. 

28th min: Jarmanpreet with a run down the right wing and then he sends it to Rajinder inside the D. He unleashes the ball right through a sea of feet, Sukhjeet gets at the end of it, but the ball is deflected just wide. 

25th min: The first one is stopped by Vivek Sagar Prasad who was filling in at first rusher for Rohidas, India clear the second attempt which they fail to trap well. But Japan then appeal for a back stick by Vivek succesfully and win another PC. Nagayoshi with the flick this time, perfectly worked out but Jarmanpreet stops it on the line with his foot. Another PC which is trapped poorly agan.

24th min: A looped ball into the D right in front of the byline left side of goal. It is taken down quite brilliantly by Kazumasa Matsumoto, then he hits it into Jugraj's foot to win a PC. India are also down to 10 men for now with Amit Rohidas receiving a green card. 

19th min: Hardik fires a powerful hit from outside the Japanese D. It dribbles through the sea of bodies in the D into goal, leading to cheers from the crowd but nothing else. No valid deflection inside the circle. But India are absolutely pummelling Japan at the moment. 

And early chance of India thanks to Abhishek, who goes running and dribbling right from the midfield into the Japanese D. He was pushed into a tight angle by the red shirts around him by that point though, but he still goes for a tomahawk. It is deflected to the sky off a Japanese stick, Mandeep takes it down left side of goal on the byline and is immediately crowded out by Japanese defenders. 

India started defending deeper and deeper as that quarter wound down and in the end, they hold on to their lead without too much difficulty. Unlike what was the case in the first match against China, they really are looking like the far better team here. 

14th min: That PC led to another PC which India didn't really clear well. Yamada makes his way into the D from the right and then unleashes a toahawk. It is saved quite brilliantly by Pathak with his foot and he then gestures to his players to calm down. He is there. 

13th min: Well a bit of a Hail Mary from Japan gives them a PC. A looped ball into the Indian D, it bounces and hits Manpreet into his body. A chance for Japan to make something of this first quarter. 

12th min: To their credit, Japan have not allowed India to hog the ball after that second goal. However, they are nowhere close to challening Pathak for the first time in his 150th match. Yamazaki tried to get an inch inside the D but then Sumit immediately came and blocked it away. That is as far as they have got thus far. 

Here is Vinayakk Mohanarangan on that first goal by Mandeep: Craig Fulton was asked before the match about field goals, or lack thereof, against China. And promptly, India open the scoring from open play. Jarmanpreet Singh with a nice pass to Sukhjeet down the left flank, and it is the No 34 who sets this up chance beautifully down the left byline. Mandeep applies the finishing touches. India’s forwardline has often been guilty of not converting chances, Mandeep takes this one rather well. But all credit to Sukhjeet who consistently delivers for India.

5th min: Third time does the trick for Harmanpreet (4th if you count the retake). Harmanpreet hit the first-rusher's foot again and India got yet another PC. This time he unleashes a drag flick of some venom. It is lasered into goal, nothing could've stopped that. The Indian captain is underway!

5th min: Shilanand Lakra dribbles around in the D and is stopped with a stick-on-stick challenge. PC for India. Harmanpreet on the drag flick, it is deflected away by the Japanese first runner and India get a PC again. Japan refer that though, it was given because the ref deemed that the ball had been stopped with the first-runner's foot. The TV umpire held up Japan's referral but asked the ref to give a re-take... 

3mins: There is the field goal India were searching for, Mandeep turning it in. India squeezed the 10 men that Japanese had right into the D. Sukhjeet runs down the line and then smashes the ball inside across the face of goal, Mandeep is right where he needs to be, traps it and turns it in. 

2mins: And it is to Japan's Yamato Kawahara for blocking Harmanpreet in the midfield area as he was running in from the tramline around the start of the 2nd minute of the match. 

At long last, nearly half an hour after the original pusback time, the match begins. India get us going, attacking from right to left of your screen in Q1. 

Vinayakk Mohanarangan: Krishan Pathak felicitated for his 150th appearance for India. The goalkeeper, who has had quite a remarkable journey to the Indian team, is seen as the heir to PR Sreejesh. But of late, the performances have not quite been consistently of a high level. He has been guilty of conceding some soft goals. He will rotate of course with Suraj Karkera today as well, but Pathak does need to up his game a little bit going forward if he is to keep the top spot between the posts.

Krishan Bahadur Pathak is getting felicitated for his 150th appearance for India. A wonderful moment for him as he continues to step out of the legendary PR Sreejesh's shadow. Also important to note that we are 20 minutes past the original pushback time and are not even close to having one yet. The national anthems come only after Pathak's felicitation. Before this and after the announcement of the names came Bihar Minister for Energy, Planning, and Development Bijendra Prasad Yadav walking out to the turf and meeting the players, which took a few minutes. 

Well, as it turns out, it's 3.15pm and we still don't have pushback. The Japanese and Indian players have ran out, the latter to big cheers from a capacity crowd here in Rajgir. Names of every players is now being announced. Then comes the national anthems. 

Japan's Yoshihiro Anai: We talk a lot about defending, we need to be solid. Make good structure in defence first and then attack after getting the ball. 

India's Craig Fulton: Field goal scoring, we are trying. Today is a different challenge, looking forward, full house, not as hot but really humid. 

Vinayakk Mohanarangan: Building on their impressive performance in the defeat against India on opening day, China have made another big statement. The opponent might be Kazakhstan but China come from a goal down to smash them 13-1. Five Penalty Corner goals and eight field goals from China. Some scoreline that. India up next against Japan, the latter coming into this with a 7-0 win against Kazakhstan. Onus on India to produce a statement performance themselves.

It looks like this match will be starting only at around 3.10pm. Vinayakk Mohanarangan reckons that China's match against Kazakhstan overshot its time because of which there is a 10-minute delay to this game. Just FYI, China won that match 13-1. Fairly comfortable win, judging by the scoreline (to say the least). 

India have to adapt to quite a few things in this tournament - the slow Rajgir turf, oppressive heat, and be patient against ultra-defensive opponents. It's a problem faced by most teams when facing opponents that are considered underdogs to them. Read more from Mihir Vasavda HERE. 

They won, but at what cost? That was the question hanging around after India'sm 3-2 victory against China. India are heads and shoulders and waists above every team on this continent, as was seen quite clearly in their run to victory in the Asian Champions Trophy and Asian Games a couple of years ago. And so anything apart from a dominant win in these games will come as a surprise. And an even bigger cause of worry considering this tournament comes just after an absolutely horrendous European leg in the Pro League for this side. Will they assert their dominance against Japan? We will have to wait and watch.