India Crush Uzbekistan 16-0 in Asian Games 2023 Men’s Hockey Opener

In their opening match at the Asian Games 2023 in Hangzhou, China, the Indian men’s hockey team secured a dominant victory, defeating Uzbekistan with a commanding score of 16-0. This remarkable performance catapulted them to the top of the Asian Games 2023 men’s hockey Pool A standings, positioning them favourably for the semi-finals.

India, currently ranked third in the FIH Rankings, entered the tournament fresh from their Asian Champions Trophy title win just last month. Despite missing their captain, Harmanpreet Singh, the Indian team displayed aggressive play right from the outset, putting immense pressure on Uzbekistan’s defence.

The scoring spree commenced merely seven minutes into the game when Lalit Upadhyay capitalized on a penalty corner, opening the scoring for India. Soon after, Varun Kumar doubled their lead with another penalty corner conversion. The first quarter concluded with India holding a 2-0 advantage.

India’s dominance persisted in the second quarter as they swiftly added two field goals courtesy of Abhishek and Mandeep Singh. Lalit Upadhyay notched his second goal from close range. Mandeep Singh followed suit, achieving a hat-trick in a mere two minutes, propelling India to a commanding 7-0 lead at halftime.

The Indian team continued their relentless pursuit of goals in the second half, adding nine more to their tally, ultimately sealing a resounding 16-0 victory. Their next match will be against Singapore on Tuesday.

It’s worth noting that the men’s hockey tournament at the Asian Games 2023 also serves as an Olympic qualifier, with the eventual champion securing a coveted berth at the Paris 2024 Olympics.