Asian Games hockey, as it happened: India begin their campaign with a 17-0 win over Indonesia

Wrapping up

HOOTER! India would have expected a comfortable start. But not sure if they expected to better the 13-0 Asian Games record margin. But there was a huge difference in skill, pace and physicality between the two teams. For a brief while in the second quarter, Indonesian defenders denied the Indian attackers. But for them, it was a barrage unlike they had ever witnessed. They were beaten 0-17 in the opener. Coach Harendra Singh would be mighty pleased with the effort of his men.

Final quarter, India 17-0 Indonesia (3 minutes to go): India’s highest Asian Games victory margin is 13-0 (against Bangladesh). Looks like they’ll comfortably surpass it tonight.

Final quarter, India 17-0 Indonesia (6 minutes to go): GOAL! Amit Rohidas scores one for the night, converting a penalty corner. This is India’s 17th goal.

Final quarter, India 16-0 Indonesia (8 minutes to go): GOAL! Lalit Kumar Upadhyay makes a brilliant run and passes it to Simranjeet, who completes the third hat-trick of the night.

Final quarter, India 15-0 Indonesia (10 minutes to go): One after another, the goals keep coming for India. Mandeep becomes the second player of the night, after Dilpreet Singh, to score a hat-trick.

Final quarter, India 14-0 Indonesia (12 minutes to go): A little reprieve for the Indonesians as they save two back-to-back Penalty Corners.

Final quarter, India 14-0 Indonesia (12 minutes to go): Superb reverse hit by Manpreet from the left flank, getting the ball to Mandeep, who slots in the 14th goal for India.

Third quarter, India 13-0 Indonesia 2 minutes to go): GOAL! Lalit Kumar Upadhyay scores his first goal of the night. It’s just a matter of numbers now. India lead 13-0.

Third quarter, India 12-0 Indonesia 5 minutes to go): A rare instance, perhaps the first, of an Indonesian attacker getting close to the Indian circle. But Harmanpreet easily dispossesses him and gets the ball back into the Indonesian half.

Third quarter, India 12-0 Indonesia 7 minutes to go): GOAL! Lalit and Akashdeep play a one-two from the right flank and assist Simranjeet in scoring his second goal of the match.

Third quarter, India 11-0 Indonesia (12 minutes to go): Indonesia play a long ball to the Indian circle (one of the very few times the ball got there). But no one’s there to collect it. They are hapless in this match. Indonesia aren’t sure if they must attack or use all their players to defend.

Third quarter, India 11-0 Indonesia (13 minutes to go): And another one. Dilpreet scores a hat-trick. India are unstoppable.

Third quarter, India 10-0 Indonesia (14 minutes to go): Welcome back to th... GOAL! Barely has the third quarter begun and India scored their 10th goal. Harmanpreet Singh this time with a PC conversion.

HOOTER! End of second quarter, India 9-0 Indonesia: There’s a tangible difference in pace, skill and physicality between the two teams. Indonesia, despite deploying all their resources in the defence, haven’t been able to control India. Total domination by Sreejesh and Co.

Second quarter, India 9-0 Indonesia (1 minutes to go): GOAL! Dilpreet scores his second goal of the night. Akashdeep, in the Indonesian circle, had passed the ball between his legs to Dilpreet near the goal mouth. The youngster just had to tap the ball in.

Second quarter, India 8-0 Indonesia (2 minutes to go): GOAL! Mandeep Singh scores India’s eighth one. The Indonesian defenders are hapless against the Indian attack.

Second quarter, India 7-0 Indonesia (4 minutes to go): GOAL! Another one. Within two minutes. Akashdeep passed the ball from the right flank to Vivek Prasad, who was in front of the goal mouth. Vivek just had to tap the ball in.

Second quarter, India 6-0 Indonesia (5 minutes to go): GOAL! There it is, the sixth goal. SV Sunil scores it after playing a brilliant one-two with Sardar Singh.

Second quarter, India 5-0 Indonesia (7 minutes to go): Not even a penalty corner conceded in the second quarter so far by the Indonesia. Varun Kumar takes a crack at the goal. But easily thwarted by the Indonesian goalie.

Second quarter, India 5-0 Indonesia (9 minutes to go): Indonesians are playing a little better than they did in the first quarter. They are making good interceptions and denying penalty corners for India. They have denied India a goal in the quarter so far.

Second quarter, India 5-0 Indonesia (13 minutes to go): Indonesia have deployed all their resources in their defence. They are still struggling to stop the explosive Indian attackers. No goals so far in this quarter though.

End of first quarter, India 5-0 Indonesia: The Indonesians would have expected a tough game. But they might not have predicted this level of onslaught by the Indians. Three more quarters to go and they are already behind by five goals. They need to quickly recuperate from this. Else, this will be a humiliating defeat for them.

First quarter India 5-0 Indonesia (2 minutes to go) Simranjeet scores India’s fifth. The Indonesians seem ill-equipped to stop this dangerous Indian attack. The match is already slipping from their hands.

First quarter India 4-0 Indonesia (5 minutes to go) The goal barrage continues. The Indonesian defender mistraps Manpreet’s long pass. The ball goes to Akashdeep, who drives the ball, which takes a deflection of the Indonesian defender’s stick before going into the Indonesian net for the fourth time.

First quarter India 3-0 Indonesia (6 minutes to go) The Indonesians try to move the ball forward. But this Indian defence proved tough even for the Australians to crack. The ball’s quickly back in the Indonesian circle.

First quarter India 3-0 Indonesia (8 minutes to go) GOAL! It was just a matter of time before India scored again. They got a PC. RP Singh’s strike was blocked by the Indonesian goalie. But Dilpreet scores off a rebound.

First quarter India 2-0 Indonesia (10 minutes to go) Indians are all over the Indonesian men. The hosts’ defenders are scrambling to deny India a 3-0 lead.

First quarter India 2-0 Indonesia (13 minutes to go) GOAL! Rupinder Pal Singh scores a brace within two minutes of the game. This time he scores off a penalty stroke. The drag-flick, he hit off the PC, had hit the Indonesian defender in the chest.

First quarter India 1-0 Indonesia (14 minutes to go) GOAL! Not even a minute into the game and Rupinder Pal Singh converts India’s first penalty corner.

6:15 pm Hello and welcome to the men’s hockey opener between India and hosts Indonesia. The women, yesterday, beat the hosts 8-0. The Indian men, after winning the silver at Champions Trophy and beating 3-0, are in great form. The Indonesian men, hence, might have to play better than they ever have to avoid a thorough defeat. Coach Harendra Singh, before the tournament, had said that he’d not settle for anything less than a gold. Will be interesting to see how the Indonesians approach this game.