Muscat (Oman): Araijeet Singh Hundal struck a brace of goals as the Indian junior men’s hockey team registered an 11-0 victory in their Men’s Junior Asia Cup 2024 campaign opener against Thailand here on Wednesday.
Hundal, who will feature for Team Gonasika in the upcoming HIL scored in the 2nd and 24th minutes and the Delhi SG Pipers’ Sourabh Anand Kushwaha (19’, 52’) and UP Rudras’ Gurjot Singh (18’, 45’) scored a brace each in the game. While Arshdeep Singh (8’), Sharda Nand Tiwari (10’) Dilraj Singh (21’), Rohit (29’) and Mukesh Toppo (59’) scored a goal each in the comprehensive victory for India.
India maintained control over the ball from the starting whistle and quickly found the back of the net. Hundal scored the first goal with a harrowing reverse shot from the left wing, following an incisive pass by Priyobarta Talem from the backline. India continued to apply constant pressure on Thailand, frequently foraying into the shooting circle with aerial passes to the wings.
Soon after, Talem found a clever pass to the left wing, and Arshdeep Singh was alert to push the ball into the goal after a save from Thailand’s goalkeeper, Thawin Phomjunt. With five minutes left in the quarter, India earned a penalty corner, and Sharda Nand Tiwari stepped up to drag the ball past Thailand’s defense, making it 3-0 for India.
Minutes into the second quarter, Gurjot deflected Araijeet’s shot on goal past the keeper to sound the board and stamped India’s authority in the game. While Thailand was still regrouping, Sourabh pounced on a rebound from a close-range shot and lifted it over the keeper, making it 5-0.
Dilraj was next to etch his name on the scoresheet, picking up a deflected ball in the circle and beating the keeper with a reverse shot from the top of the circle. India’s dominance continued as they pinched the ball in Thailand’s half and pushed forward in search of another goal.
In the 24th minute, Araijeet danced past multiple defenders in the circle and picked out the top left corner with a sublime reverse shot. With little more than a minute left in the half, Amir earned a penalty stroke, and Rohit stepped up to make it 8-0 with a low and powerful shot from the spot.
In the third quarter, India created multiple chances but missed the finishing touch. Thailand grew into the game with more possession and territory but failed to threaten the Indian goal. Gurjot tested the keeper with a reverse shot from the center of the circle at the nine-minute mark but couldn’t beat him.
India held onto possession and pushed Thailand back, but their defence repelled every advance until Roshan Kujur found Gurjot Singh, who deflected the ball into the goal, making it 9-0 for India with seconds left in the third quarter.
In the final quarter, India showed more patience in their build-up, with Manmeet, Araijeet, Dilraj, and other Indian forwards constantly threatening to score. Sourabh found the finishing touch in the 52nd minute, deflecting Amir’s pass from the left wing to score India’s 10th goal. Maintaining complete control over the ball and displaying exemplary defense, India continued to seek another goal. As the game came to a close, Mukesh found himself unmarked in the circle and rifled the ball into the goal, sealing India’s 11-0 victory.
