FIH Series Finals 2019, India vs Japan: Live Scores, Commentary and Updates 14/06/2019

FT: 🇮🇳 7-2 🇯🇵

After conceding an early goal, India didn't look back and registered an emphatic win with a flurry of strikes throughout the 60 minutes!#IndiaKaGame #FIHSeriesFinals #RoadToToTokyo #INDvJPN pic.twitter.com/8sby1NKpaW
— Hockey India (@TheHockeyIndia) June 14, 2019

That's it from us here - this is Subhashish signing off as Ramandeep Singh wins the Man of the Match award - join us for the final when India play South Africa at 1915 IST tomorrow- stay with Sportskeeda for all the latest sports news and updates

The stats ladies and gentleman - 44 circle entries and 23 shots on goal for the Indians who earned 10 PCs and converted 4.

Seventeen circle entries and 8 shots on goal for Japan who failed to convert any of their 6 PCs.

Sixty-two percent possession for the home side who have made it to the final - and more importantly progressed to the next round of the Olympic qualifiers

After matching the Indians in every department in the first quarter - and partly in the second as well - the Asian Games champions surrender meekly to an Indian side who kept up a blistering pace but were found wanting in the striking circle at times

Harmanpreet, playing his 100th international opened the scoring for the Indians off a PC with Varun scoring the second off another - and it was the initial PCs which helped the Indians strike back before the strikers ran riot

The Japanese flattered only to deceive at the Kalinga Stadium after opening the scoring as early as the second minute and restored parity after the Indians had score two - but fell apart after they felt a few umpiring decisions had gone against them and lost their cool which aided the home team in no small measure.

The Indians were allowed a free run as Aikman's team seemed to lose the plot altogether and could never find their way back

FULL TIME: INDIA 7 - JAPAN 2

58' The pace slows down just a bit but Mandeep fails to beat Yoshikawa in goal

56' The Indians try the left flank but the ball strikes an Indian foot and the Japanese defenders take a breather

55' YOUNG VIVEK SHOOTS WIDE AFTER THE JAPANESE DEFENCE IS CAUGHT NAPPING

ZENDANA SHOOTS WIDE - THE FLICK HAS POWER BUT LACKS DIRECTION

BALL FINDS AN INDIAN FOOT - JAPAN HAVE ANOTHER PC

54' SAMURAI JAPAN REFUSE TO RELENT - EARN YET ANOTHER PC

53' GENKI MITANI GETS A YELLOW - THE JAPANESE COMMITTING HARA-KIRI AT THE KALINGA STADIUM

The flick is not strong enough - padded away easily by Sreejesh

52' The Japanese earn a PC - their fourth - can they reduce the deficit??

51' Lakra tries a reverse - fails to get the sting on the shot though

50' The match has suddenly been transformed into a no-contest as the Indians try to manufacture a move outside the Japanese circle but fail to get the final touch right

48' The Indians making the most of a one-man advantage - running amok as the Japanese defenders look clueless

INDIA 7 - JAPAN 2

47' VIVEK SAGAR SCORES - THE JAPANESE IN TOTAL DISARRAY

THE JAPANESE PLAYERS LOSING THEIR COOL - AND LOSING THE PLOT AS WELL AFTER A FEW UMPIRING DECISION GO AGAINST AIKMAN'S TEAM - THE TASK OF THE HOME TEAM BECOMES A LOT EASIER

END OF Q3: INDIA 6 - JAPAN 2

44' THE JAPANESE LOSE THEIR COOL AND ARE DOWN TO TEN MEN AFTER A YELLOW CARD TO SUGURU HOSHI

INDIA 6 - JAPAN 2

43' THE SULKING JAPANESE CAUGHT UNAWARES AS INDIA LAUNCH A COUNTER - GURSAHIBJIT SCORES

KAZUMA MURATA GETS A GREEN CARD ALTHOUGH THE BALL IS IN THE NET

43' JAPAN EARN THEIR THIRD PC - CAN THEY REDUCE THE DEFICIT???

41' The Indians fail to get it right in the Japanese D after Ramandeep powers his way in - Yamashita brought down as a result of the body blow

39' The Japanese strikers outnumbered by the Indian defenders who fail to let the red shirts into the striking circle

38' THE INDIANS EARN THEIR TENTH PC - THE JAPANESE THIS TIME ARE LUCKY THAT THE BALL STAYS OUT OF GOAL

HAVE THE INDIANS SEALED THE DEAL WITH A LUCKY GOAL????

INDIA 5 - JAPAN 2

RAMANDEEP GETS A LUCKY BOUNCING BALL AFTER MANPREET TRIES A SLAP SHOT - AND MAKES NO MISTAKE WHATSOEVER

SURENDER'S SHOT IS SAVED - INDIA HAVE ANOTHER PC

37' INDIA HAVE A PC - RAMANDEEP TO PUSH

36' THE INDIANS WANT A STROKE - DO NOT GET ONE AND THE JAPANESE TRY A COUNTER BUT MESS IT UP WITH A POOR PASS

35' INDIA EARN A PC AFTER HARMANPREET IS OBSTRUCTED

33' The Japanese attempt a counter after Vivek Sagar is brought down - fail to advance deep enough though

32' TANAKA SPRINTS IN - INTO THE INDIAN CIRCLE BUT BIRENDRA LAKRA SOLID AS EVER

31' GREAT HIGH PRESS FROM INDIA - THE JAPANESE RETREAT HURRIEDLY TO CLEAR THE BALL OUT OF DANGER

PATHAK WILL BE BACK IN GOAL FOR THE INDIANS - MANDEEP TO PUSH BACK - YOSHIKAWA IN GOAL FOR THE JAPANESE INSTEAD OF TAKANO

HT: 🇮🇳 4-2 🇯🇵

This high-voltage SF is living up to the expectations where India lead the scoreline against the mighty Japanese!

Stay tuned for all the action from the second half!#IndiaKaGame #FIHSeriesFinals #RoadToToTokyo #INDvJPN pic.twitter.com/lF8aaXHald
— Hockey India (@TheHockeyIndia) June 14, 2019

A GOAL-FEST ON THE CARDS - NOT A ONE-SIDED CONTEST THOUGH AS THE INDIANS COME FROM BEHIND TO SET UP A TWO-GOAL LEAD- THE JAPANESE STILL VERY MUCH IN THIS MATCH THOUGH

HALF-TIME: INDIA 4 - JAPAN 2

KITAZATO 2 - FG
HARMANPREET 7 - PC
VARUN 14 - PC
WATANABE 20 - FG
RAMANDEEP 23 -FG
HARDIK 25 - FG

28' THE JAPANESE EARN A FREE HIT OUTSIDE THE INDIAN CIRCLE - THE INDIANS CROWD THE DEFENCE AND CLEAR THEIR LINES

SREEJESH DIVES - SREEJESH SAVES - INDIA KEEP A TWO-GOAL LEAD

SHOTA YAMADA FAILS TO MAKE IT COUNT - BUT JAPAN HAVE ANOTHER PC

26' THE JAPANESE EARN THEIR FIRST PC - CAN THEY REDUCE THE MARGIN????

VARUN'S FLICK HITS THE POST AFTER THE GOALIE IS BEATEN ALL ENDS UP

25' THE INDIANS EARN THEIR SIXTH PC