Asian Hockey Champions Trophy 2018 Semifinals: India vs Japan Live Score, Latest Updates & Results

That's it from us here - we have witnessed two fantastic semifinals this evening, and it's India vs Pakistan coming up at 2240 IST on Sunday. Do join us then - this is Subhashish signing off. Good night and stay tuned to Sportskeeda for the latest news and updates

IT WASN'T A CAKEWALK THIS TIME, BUT HARENDRA'S BOYS HOLD THEIR NERVES TO TAKE INDIA OVER THE LINE AGAINST A VASTLY-IMPROVED JAPANESE SIDE. SIXTY-SEVEN PERCENT OF THE POSSESSION FOR THE INDIANS WHO ALSO MANAGED 27 CIRCLE ENTRIES WHILE AIKMAN'S SIDE MANAGED JUST 5 - BUT SCORED TWICE!!!

THE JAPANESE DENIED SPACE TO THE INDIAN STRIKERS IN THE ATTACKING CIRCLE WITH A DISCIPLINED PERFOMANCE BUT, IN THE END, THE SHEER QUALITY OF THIS INDIAN SIDE PROVING TO BE TOO FAR MUCH FOR AIKMAN'S YOUNG TEAM TO COUNTER

FULL TIME: INDIA 3 - JAPAN 2

INDIA

GURJANT SINGH 19' (FG)
CHINGLENSANA 44' (PC)
DILPREET 55' (FG)

JAPAN

HIROTAKA WAKURI 22' (PC)
HIROTAKA ZENDANA 56' (PC)

58' Manpreet displays sublime skill in an attempt to get a cross in - cannot get the ball to a blue shirt in the circle

58' Great defending from Jarmanpreet to deny the Japanese strikers

57' GOOD CROSS IN FROM NILAKANTA - NONE OF THE INDIAN STRIKERS CAN REACH THE BALL IN TIME

INDIA 3- JAPAN 2

THE INDIANS GO UPSTAIRS - WILL THE GOAL COUNT?? INDIA LOSE THEIR REFERRAL

MITANI TO PUSH - ZENDANA SCORES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

56' WAKURI CUTS IN TO THE INDIAN CIRCLE AND EARNS A PC FOR JAPAN

INDIA 3 - JAPAN 1

54' DILPREET SEALS THE DEAL FOR INDIA

52' The Japanese not committing that many men forward yet - the Indians keep pushing for a third goal

51' The Indians content to knock the ball around in their own half - Hoshi attempts to find space down the right flank

50' GREAT BALL FROM LALIT MEANT FOR HARDIK BUT THE YOUNGSTER FAILS TO REACH THE BALL IN TIME

49' Manpreet and Gurjant fail to latch on to a long cross inside the Japanese circle

48' An Indian attack is foiled - but the ball travels harmlessly past the Indian backline after a Japanese clearance

47' GOOD TACKLE FROM YAMADA BUT THE INDIANS NOT HOLDING BACK

THE INDIANS BEING MADE TO SWEAT IT OUT HERE AT MUSCAT - THANKFULLY THOUGH THEY HAVE THE LEAD AFTER SOME GREAT WORK BY VARUN AND CHINGLENSANA - DOES AIKMAN HAVE A LAST TRICK UP HIS SLEEVE???

END OF Q3: INDIA 2 - JAPAN 1

INDIA 2- JAPAN 1

WELL, WELL. WELL. THEY SURE KNEW WHAT THEY WERE DOING - INDIA ARE AHEAD - CHINGLENSANA GETS A DIVING DEFLECTION IN OFF VARUN'S FLICK

VARUN AND CHINGLENSANA HAVE A WORD

44' GOOD CROSS IN FOR THE INDIANS - THEY HAVE A PC AT LAST

42' Seren Tanaka tries to weave his way into the Indian circle - the Indian defence refuses to be undone

41' The Indian strikers unable to find their rhythm - unable also to attack at will

39' Disciplined defending by Aikman's boys - the Indians having to work hard here

37' Stinging cross in from Harmanpreet - India have a long corner

36' The Indians pegged back for now - are they playing to a plan??? Akashdeep tries to find a Japanese foot in vain

34' Bad cross in from Jarmanpreet which is wide off target and fails to find a blue shirt

32' Japan have a long corner early in the second half - they steal the ball and manage a quick turnover too - Krishan Pathak in goal gets a scare just after coming on

31' Akashdeep playing just a wee-bit behind the forward line here - will it work for him???

SEVENTY-FOUR PERCENT OF THE POSSESSION FOR INDIA -"WE HAVE THE FIGHTING SPIRIT" SAYS AIKMAN - HARENDRA LOOKS RELAXED - "WANT THE PLAYERS TO HOLD THE BALL MORE" SAYS HARENDRA

SIEGFREID AIKMAN WOULD BE PLEASED AS PUNCH - HE LOOKS IT TOO - WHAT WILL HARENDRA SINGH TELL HIS BOYS IN THE LONG BREAK????

THINGS HAVE NOT GONE STRICTLY AS PER THE SCRIPT HERE - THE INDIANS DID A LOT OF THE ATTACKING BUT WERE DENIED SPACE IN THE STRIKING CIRCLE - GURJANT GAVE INDIA THE LEAD IN THE 19th MINUTE - SHOTA YAMADA TOOK A GREAT DECEPTIVE DRAG FLICK TO FIND WAKURI UNMARKED NEAR THE POST WHO MADE NO MISTAKE AFTER A GREAT DIVING EFFORT TO RESTORE PARITY JUST 3 MINUTES LATER

HALF-TIME: INDIA 1 - JAPAN 1

29' Hardik does well to stop a Japanese counter

CLEVER VARIATION BUT SHOTA YAMADA SHOOTS WIDE - BALL WAS DANGEROUS ANYWAY

28' JAPAN HAVE ANOTHER PC - DANGER FOR INDIA

28' India have a free hit - Manpreet's shot is in the net - from outside the striking circle though!!!

26' The Indians unable to find space - too many red shirts guarding the Japanese 25

DEFLECTION FINDS CHINGLENSANA WHO SHOOTS A SKIER WAY OVER THE GOAL

INDIA HAVE ANOTHER PC

25' INDIA HAVE THEIR SECOND PC

24' THE INDIANS HAVE A COUPLE OF GREAT CHANCES - NILAKANTA FAILED TO GET THE BALL - SURENDER THEN FAILED TO CONTROL

INDIA 1- JAPAN 1

SHOTA YAMADA TOOK THE FLICK - HE EFFECTED A SUPERB VARIATION - WAKURI DIVES LOW AND DEFLECTS THE BALL IN