Kakamigahara (Japan): India’s top hockey player and an expert in the drag-flick technique (the skill of slightly lifting the ball off the ground with the hockey stick and sending it directly into the goal) Deepika Sehrawat created history here on Wednesday by scoring a record nine goals in a single Asian Games match, guiding India to a memorable victory. India thrashed Thailand 20-1 in the encounter. With their third consecutive win, India are sitting at the top of Pool B. India’s next match will be against hosts Japan. The top team from the group will qualify for the semi-finals.
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Remarkably, all nine of Deepika’s goals in this one-sided match came from penalty corners. Thailand’s players had no answer to the attacking quality and technique of the Indian team. The Indian players seemed almost unstoppable in front of goal. Thailand’s defensive wall was extremely fragile, allowing the Indian attackers to repeatedly penetrate the circle and keep finding the net.
ㅤDeepika Scores Nine, Navneet Adds Four
ㅤDeepika scored her nine goals in the 2nd, 8th, 9th, 24th, 33rd, 36th, 39th, 51st and 57th minutes. She was virtually unstoppable from penalty corners.
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Navneet Kaur scored four goals in the 4th, 29th, 35th and 51st minutes. Rituja Pisal added three goals, while Neha Goyal, Lalremsiami, Sakshi Rana and captain Salima Tete scored one each. Thailand’s only goal was scored by Supansa Samanso in the 57th minute.
India Men Thrash Sri Lanka 16-1
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On Tuesday, India’s men’s hockey team defeated Sri Lanka 16-1. Jugraj Singh, Abhishek and Dilpreet Singh scored three goals each in the emphatic victory. Earlier, the Indian hockey players had defeated Indonesia 13-1, with Jugraj Singh scoring a team-high four goals.