Sardar shines as India take lead against Japan

BHUBANESWAR: After a disappointing show in the first match, India came back strongly in the second of the four-match hockey series to beat Japan 2-0 at the Kalinga Stadium on Tuesday. SK Uthappa scored the first in the 27th minute while Dharamvir Singh doubled the lead in the 48th minute.
It was a much-improved performance from the Paul van Ass-coached side compared to their insipid showing in the first.Captain Sardar Singh was brilliant in the midfield and orchestrated most of the moves. Towards the end of the match, it was the trio of Sardar, Ramandeep Singh and Yuvraj Walmiki which put the Japanese defence in trouble more than once.
India began the match cautiously but seven minutes into the game, a great chance came their way. Ramandeep dodged two defenders and crossed from the left towards Nikkin Thimmaih, who was waiting at the goalmouth. The young striker, who scored a hat-trick against Australia in the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup, failed to flick it in and the ball was cleared.
Following that move the Indian strikers found it hard to infiltrate the Japanese defence in the first quarter and it was the Japanese who kept pushing forward. However, unlike the first match, Sardar & Co played as an efficient defensive unit and didn't allow the opponents to infiltrate into the D too often.
The second quarter saw India go on the attack and they were duly rewarded with the first penalty corner of the match seven minutes into the quarter. VR Raghunath, who scored India's lone goal in the first match, failed to find the target this time as his weak shot hit an incoming defender. Few minutes later, Japan also won their first penalty corner but it was easily cleared by the Indian custodian PR Sreejesh.
India then went on the counter-attack and it was Uthappa who scored the first goal with three minutes left for the end of the first-half. Yuvraj made a brilliant run and passed the ball to Uthappa who had no trouble in sounding the board. India carried on the momentum into the third quarter but were unable to find the net.
They didn't have to wait too long though, as Dharamvir doubled the lead at the beginning of the final quarter. It was SV Sunil who initiated the move when he made the run into the D and slapped the ball hard towards the goal. Japanese goalkeeper Katsuya Takase came out early but failed to clear the ball away and Dharamvir slotted it home.