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As India and Japan clash in the men's hockey final at the 2023 Asian Games, the stage is set for an epic battle. This final holds the added attraction of the winner obtaining a ticket to the Paris Olympics next year.
Under the guidance of captain Harmanpreet Singh, the Indian men's hockey team has excelled in the competition. They successfully navigated Pool A with an undefeated record, winning each of their five group games. A thrilling 5-3 win over the Republic of Korea in the semifinals helped them get to the final.
The Indian team demonstrated excellent goal-scoring ability on their way to the title game, scoring a staggering 63 goals while conceding only eight. India won 4-2 against Japan in their first meeting during the group round.
Meanwhile, defending champions Japan, advanced to the championship match by edging hosts China, 3-2, in the semifinals.
Mandeep Singh has emerged as the top scorer for India with 12 goals so far. Harmanpreet Singh is just behind with 11 goals. Ryosei Kato has scored seven goals, which is the most for Japan.
India, who are now third in the FIH hockey rankings, have a long history at the Asian Games and have won the tournament three times. On the other hand, Japan, currently ranked 15th in the world, celebrated their first-ever victory at the continental competition in Jakarta in 2018.
India vs Japan Match Details
Match Details: India vs Japan, Asian Games 2023
Date & Time: Friday, October 6th, 2023, at 4:00 PM IST.
Venue: Hangzhou, China
India vs Japan: Head-to-head record
India enjoy dominance over Japan in hockey. The two have faced each other 34 times and the Men in Blue have 27 wins to their name. On the other hand, Japan have just three wins, and four matches have ended in draws.
Matches Played: 34
India wins: 27
Japan wins: 3
Draws: 4
India vs Japan: Probable Lineup
India:
Krishan Bahadur Pathak, Harmanpreet Singh (C), Amit Rohidas, Varun Kumar, Hardik Singh (VC), Vivek Sagar Prasad, Manpreet Singh, Akashdeep Singh, S Karthi, Gurjant Singh, Mandeep Singh
Japan:
Yamada Shota, Kawahara Yamato, Tanaka Seren, Fukuda Kentaro, Takade Taiki, Niwa Takuma, Nagai Yuma, Yamashita Manabu, Fujishima Raiki, Nagayoshi Ken, Ohashi Masaki (C)
India vs Japan Prediction
At the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, the match-up between the Indian men's hockey team and Japan is expected to be highly competitive. Even though India had defeated Japan in the pool match, the final will be a completely different ball game with a direct Olympic qualification on the line.
Where to watch Asian Games 2023 hockey matches in India?
The Asian Games 2023 hockey matches will be streamed live on Sony LIV. The matches will also be broadcast live in India on Sony Sports Network TV channels.
