Live Four Nations Hockey Tournament: India vs Japan, Live Match Updates

That's all for today. India will take on Belgium tomorrow at 10.15 am. Do join us for more live action. Until then, goodbye!

Pretty sublime by India, they will be reasonably happy with the result. Japan did their part, especially in the second half, but could not break through the Indian defence.

FULL TIME. India win by six goals to nil with all the goals coming in the first three quarters. The final quarter was a little bland, in comparison.

About one minute remaining in the match. Looks like India will be able to keep a clean sheet.

That was a good chance for Japan but Krishan snuffs out the danger.

The India U-19 cricket team, who are in New Zealand to take part in the ongoing ICC U-19 World Cup, are in the house to lend their support to the hockey team.

Just under seven minutes remaining in this match. Can India add to Japan's misery?

India are trying to get more goals here. Harjeet Singh plays a good pass to Ramandeep who can't quite keep it on target.

Japan are looking to get a consolation goal and take something from the match. But the Indians have been very disciplined in defence so far.

Japan get the fourth quarter underway.

And that's the end of the third quarter.

GOOOAAALLL! Fantastic finish by the debutant, Dilpreet, after Mandeep plays it through for him. That's the second goal for him, today.

India, now, 6-0 up in the third quarter.

India concede yet another penalty corner but Japan fail to make it count. Debutant keeper Krishan makes a really good save there.

GOOOOAAAAALLLLLLL!!! 5-0, India! Ramandeep takes the penalty corner and Harmanpreet slots it in! Easy as that.

Penalty corner for India. Ramandeep stole the ball in the midfield and surged towards the Japanese goal. However, he was tripped inside the box. What can India come up with here?

The penalty corner is wasted as India manage to see out the danger. They have been solid in defence today.

Penalty-corner awarded to Japan after one of their forwards is tripped inside the box. Can they make it count?

PR Sreejesh is replaced by Krishan Bahadur Pathak as the coach Sjoerd Marijne gives the veteran 'keeper some much-needed rest.

We are halfway through the third quarter and India are showing no signs of slowing down. Meanwhile, the rain has stopped for the moment.

GOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLL! 4-0 India! Dilpreet Singh gets on the scoreboard with a wonderfully taken goal. It's his first International goal.

And, with that goal, the rain has just got heavier.

There was a half-chance there for India but the Japanese 'keeper made a very good save.

The second half gets underway. There is a light drizzle but that won't worry either team.

The referee blows the whistle to signal the end of the first half. India are completely dominating the proceedings. Their plans are working out and Japan haven't been able to get in their groove at all.

Stay tuned, we will be back with live action from the second half.

Just under one minute left for half-time. India have certainly tightened their grip on the match with that third goal.

GOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLL! What a debut this man is having!!! Vivek Sagar Prasad is at it again as he scores his second field goal on his debut!

3-0, India.

10 minutes into the second quarter and Japan still continue to struggle. Meanwhile, India are maintaining pressure on their opponents.

Japan are trying hard to find their way back into the match but they can't really find a way through.

Five minutes have been played in the second quarter. Neither side has got a clear shot on goal in this quarter, yet.

The second quarter gets underway and Japan go on the attack right away. They break through the right and work their way towards the goal but the Indian defence is too tight.

It's the end of the first quarter. India go into the break with a 2-0 lead. Will they score more goals and extend their lead or can Japan stage a fightback?

Just a little over a minute left in the first quarter and India are head and shoulders above their opponents already.

GOOOOOOAAAAALLLLLL! India make it 2-0 through Vivek Sagar Prasad!!!

GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! RUPINDER PAL SINGH puts India ahead! He coolly slotted the ball into the net to make 1-0

PC for India! Rupinder lines up the shot, and it strikes one of the Japanese defenders on the line. However, that ball was goal-bound, and the umpire immediately calls for a penalty stroke.

Apologies again, for the technical glitch on our servers. We are back and can report that India have gotten off to a flying start here!

We are facing some technical difficulties at the moment. We apologise for the delay in updates.

Here's how India will line up today!

Here’s the starting line-up for India in its opening game against Japan in the Four Nations Invitational Tournament. Catch all the action LIVE on the Facebook page of @BlackSticks.#IndiaKaGame #INDvJPN pic.twitter.com/JppPp3TFA9
— Hockey India (@TheHockeyIndia) January 17, 2018

And now, Japan's national anthem...

It's India first....

Both the teams are out on the pitch, and have lined up for the national anthems.

Hello, and welcome to our coverage of India's first match of 2018!

India are all set to take on Japan in their first match of 2018, as they get their Four Nation Invitational tournament underway in New Zealand, today.

The Indians had had a good 2017, winning the Aisa Cup and got a bronze medal finish at the Hockey World League Finals. With the 2018 World Cup looming large on the horizon, the Indians, led by Manpreet Singh, will be looking to improve themselves ahead of the mega tournament.

The Four Nations Cup sees former captain PR Sreejesh make a comeback to the side, after the goalkeeper missed out a major part of last season due to a knee injury.

Indian Squad: PR Sreejesh, Krishan Bahadur Pathak, Harmanpreet Singh, Surender Kumar, Gurinder Singh, Varun Kumar, Rupinderpal Singh, Birendra Lakra, Manpreet Singh(C), Chinglensana Singh Kangujam (VC), Vivek Sagar Prasad, Harjeet Singh, Nilakanta Sharma, Simranjeet Singh, Satbir Singh, Dilpreet Singh, Ramandeep Singh, Mandeep Singh, Lalit Kumar Upadhyay and Armaan Qureshi.

Japan Squad: Suguru Shinmoto,Takashi Yoshimoto, Manabu Yamashita, Hirotaka Zendana, Masaki Ohashi, Yoshikazu Ito, Shota Yamada, Yoshiki Kirishita, Genki Mitani, Kazuma Murata, Suguru Hoshi, Seren Tanaka, Hiromasa Ochiai, Tsubasa Yamamizu, Kenta Tanaka, Kenji Kitazato, Heita Yoshihara, Yuki Wakuri, Kentaro Fukuda and Koshi Yamasaki.