India 4-3 Japan, Sultan Azlan Shah Cup 2017, As It Happened!

India 4-3 Japan, FULL TIME

Updated: 03 May 2017 15:28 IST - Published: 03 May 2017 14:35 IST

Thank you for joining us. It is a rest day tomorrow.

India next play on the 5th (Friday) againt hosts Malaysia in the final game of the league at 6:05 pm. Mark your calendars.

Do make sure you join us for that. Till then. Goodbye and have a good day.

That makes it 7 points from 4 games for India. This draws them level on points with Great Britain. But the Brits will remain a spot ahead of India in second thanks to a better goal difference.

The Brits will play against table-toppers Australia in a game later today - a game which could reshape the table by the end of the day.

But what a game from Japan who are rebuilding with a very young team. And they have really shown potential throughout the tournament. They are relentless and have a real fight about them.

The future looks good for the team from the land of the rising sun.

AND THAT'S IT!!!

India wins it courtesy of a hat-trick from Mandeep Singh. But what a game of Hockey. That was heart in mouth stuff. But India pull off a great win.

60' - Final seconds of the game. India trying to keep possession and run the clock down.

59' - Harmanpreet again pickpocketed. Japan now looking desperately for an equaliser.

58' - MAN-DEEEEEP IS THE MAN FROM INDIA!!!!!

He is on fire. A hattrick from the forward.

Slapped in by Rupinder and that is deflected in Mandeep Singh for his third goal of the match and fifth of the tournament.

57' - Akashdeep looks for option near the half way line. And he has to go back. Time running out.

56' - Sloppy from Harmanpreet. Loses the ball way too easily.

56' - Sumeet tries to feed it to Mandeep. But he can't get the ball under control.

55' - India with a two-minute advantage as Kameyama is shown the green card.

54' - End to end stuff here. But finally India with a good break.

Talwinder with a swivel and shot but blocked. Comes out to Sumeet. He tries to find the foot. But can't do that.

Referral from India but that goes to waste.

52' - Harmanpreet again. But wide this time.

5 PCs for India and only one goal with two great drag-flickers. Will we be made to rue this?

51' - Harmanpreet with the effort but blocked. But that results it another PC. Off the foot.

51' - PC for India!!

Sardar with a great pass into Chinglensana. He plays into Mandeep and the man with the golden touch gets India another penalty corner.

51' - GOAAAAALL!! INDIA WITH THE EQUALISER!!

Great work from Talwinder. He fires it across from the right and Mandeep Singh with his second goal.

50' - Japan are defedning astutely. A long corner for India.

48' - India on the counter. SV Sunil into Mandeep.

GREAT CHANCE. But Mandeep slips at the vital moment. His legs overextends and his reverse is over the top. That was another great opportunity to draw level.

Japan just seem to have more energy and more legs in this game. The game against Australia can be taking it's toll.

46' - Rupinder Pal Singh with the shot again. And a great save by Shimamoto.

The rebound falls to Akashdeep but he pushes that wide.

India is 1 out of 3 in PC this game.

46' - India looking for a referral. SV Sunil feels there is a foot.

And that is upheld. INDIA HAVE A PENALTY CORNER!!

45' - GOAL!!

What do we have here! Japan take the lead back. The Samurai Blues attack leads to an error from Sardar Singh who can't clear his lines. Pushes the ball into the path of Mitani. And he slaps that into the roof of the net.

And India has to do it all over again.

45' - WHAT A GOAL!!!!Mandeep with an extraordinary goal. Take a bow, Mandeep Singh. Harmanpreet just thrashed that one in down the middle. And with his back to the goal, he deflects it in.

44' - Mandeep with space on the left of the circle. Great hit. And Yamashita with a great tackle. Long corner!!

Remember India dumped Japan 10-2 in the Asian Champions Trophy. What a turnaround!!

43' - GOAL!!

What a counter and what a goal! Japan lead now. Yoshihara carries the ball from the half way line. He gets into the circle. And nestles that into the bottom left-hand corner of the goal. Chikte has little chance there.

41' - Mandeep tries to get it across from the right. But that is nowhere near another Indian forward.

41' - Surender drills one in from the right. But another long corner. The Japanese have really been disciplined throughout the game.

39' - Mandeep down the left this and he is quickly double teamed. The Indian forwards are not getting enough time or space and credit to Japan.

38' - India down to 10 men now. Talwinder leaves the field with a green card.

He did well to get possession on the right. Tried to move across the circle but Yamada is there to thwart him. And in his desperation to get to the ball, Talwinder shoves the defender at the back.

37' - Japan have really done their homework for this game. India are looking desperate and ragged in the final third.

35 ' - Sustained pressure from India again. But sloppy play from Sardar gives the ball away.

Japan break on the counter. Yamasaki looks to break but his attempt at crossing the ball in is thwarted by the presence of Pardeep Mor.

34 ' - SV Sunil and then Talwinder with some great work down the right. Talwinder gets a shot in. But saved by the keeper.

Surender then gets a ball in. But cleared again.

32' - Harmanpreet thumps it forward. SV Sunil with not the greatest of traps but that he keeps possession. But India again a little too eager. Can't get much out of the Japanese defence.

31' - Great trap and turn by SV Sunil as Rupinder plays a ball in the from the left.

But the Indian forward fails to get the desired contact and that goes out as the GK clears.

And we are underway in the second half.

Hockey Fact: India last won the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup in 2010.

Are India still reeling from their efforts against Australia?

14 circle entries from India but only 7 shots on goal. 68% possession but only 1 of 3 from penalty corners.

Promising from India but not clinical enough.

30' - India with the possession in the last minute. But can't muster an opportunity from that.

And the hooter blows to signal the end of the first half.

29' - India really living dangerously. Tanaka with a great run inside the circle from the left to the centre. But that's a great diving tackle by Mandeep. Helps India get a free hit.

28' - Japan look to launch another attack.

India nearly get into a muddle as Pardeep and Surender get in each other's way.

27 ' - WIDE!!

Rupinder with the drag flick this time. But this attempt to find the right corner is faulty.

27 ' - PC for India.

Great ball in by Harjeet and into Mandeep who gets a great deflection in. The GK saves but the ball pops up in the air.

27 ' - PC for India.Great ball in by Harjeet and into Mandeep who gets a great deflection in. The GK saves but the ball pops up in the air.

26' - What a counter from Japan. They nearly get their second. The ball from the right goes across the goal. Yamasaki is there at the far post but he can't put it in.

Good work from Chikte.

25' - A long ball over the top from Rupinder. But Affan Yousuf has no prayer to get that.

And it's a long corner for Japan. Not a PC. India keep their referral as well. Tha ball came off the hand of Rupinder and not his body as was adjudicated.