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After a resounding 17-0 victory facing off Thailand, the Indian Junior Men's Hockey Team has secured a spot in the Semi-Finals of the Men's Junior Asia Cup 2023 in Salalah, Oman on Sunday, May 28.
This triumph also ensures their qualification for the FIH Junior Hockey Men's World Cup 2023, scheduled to be held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, from 5 to 16 December 2023.
Expressing his thoughts on the upcoming game scheduled versus Korea, Indian Men's Hockey Team Captain Uttam Singh commented in a virtual press conference on Monday. He added:
"We have a good atmosphere in the camp. One of our tournament goals was to qualify for the FIH Junior Hockey Men's World Cup 2023, which we accomplished. We are one of Asia's top teams, so it is essential that we perform well in the Junior Men's Asia Cup as well. We have done well so far, and will look to continue to do so in the Semi-Finals as well."
Uttam Singh further emphasized the team's adaptability, stating:
"When we prepare at camp, we never know which teams we will face at what stage. Hence, we always keep our plans and targets in mind and do our best to stick to them against any opposition."
India's flawless performance in the Pool stage of the tournament saw them emerge unbeaten. They commenced with a dominant 18-0 win against Chinese Taipei and followed it up with a 3-1 victory over Japan.
Against arch-rivals Pakistan, India secured a thrilling 1-1 draw, before overpowering Thailand with an astounding 17-0 scoreline, thus topping Pool A.
Coach CR Kumar expresses confidence in Indian Junior Men's Hockey Team's performance
Commenting on the team's performance thus far, Indian Junior Men's Hockey Team Coach CR Kumar expressed his confidence, saying:
"We have always had faith in this team. We held a long camp and we prepared well with the help of Hockey India and SAI. We are hoping for a good clash against Korea. The team has performed well so far in the tournament, and we have stuck to our plans. We will look to continue the momentum in the upcoming games."
He added:
"It is always good to have tough games before going into the Semi-Finals. We enjoyed the matches, and we have proved our potential."
Meanwhile, Korea has also exhibited commendable form in the tournament, registering a convincing 6-1 victory against Uzbekistan, followed by an 8-1 win over Oman. Despite a 1-3 loss to Malaysia, Korea bounced back to defeat Bangladesh 3-1, securing the second spot in Pool B.
The upcoming Semi-Final clash between India's Junior Men's Hockey Team and Korea will mark their first encounter since the 2013 Hockey Junior World Cup Men, which ended in a 3-3 draw. Over the years, the two teams have met five times, each claiming victory twice, with one match concluding in a tie.
Acknowledging the pressure associated with playing in the Semi-Finals, Uttam Singh shared:
"We had performed well at the Sultan of Johor Cup last year, and we gave a good fight to strong teams. We defeated Australia to win the Title. We have brought that experience along with us in this tournament, which will help us in the upcoming matches."
The Indian Junior Men's Hockey Team is scheduled to face Korea in the Semi-Finals on Wednesday, May 31, at 8:00 pm IST.
