Defending champions India began their men’s junior Asia Cup campaign on a high note, defeating poor Thailand 11-0 in a lopsided Pool A match here on Wednesday. Aside from India and Thailand, the other teams in Pool A are Chinese Taipei, Japan, and South Korea. Pool B includes arch-rivals Pakistan, Malaysia, Bangladesh, hosts Oman, and China. India dominated the first half and went into the mid-game interval with an 8-0 lead.
The side was led by Amir Ali and coached by former Indian goalkeeper P R Sreejesh who added three more goals to its tally in the second half. Araijeet Singh Hundal, Gurjot Singh, and Sourabh Anand Kushwaha each scored two goals, while Arshdeep Singh, Sharda Nand Tiwari, Dilraj Singh, Rohit, and Mukesh Toppo scored one each. India controlled the ball from the start and scored immediately.
Hundal scored the opening goal with a daring reverse shot from the left side, set up by Priyobarta Talem’s smart pass from behind the backline. India maintained steady pressure on Thailand, frequently crossing inside the shooting circle with aerial passes to the wings. Soon after, Talem found a beautiful pass to the left flank, and Arshdeep was ready to push the ball into the goal following a save by Thailand’s goalkeeper Thawin Phomjunt.
India’s win turning Hockey into a numbers game
India’s dominance continued as it recovered the ball in Thailand’s half and advanced in search of another goal. In the 24th minute, Hundal moved past multiple defenders in the circle before hitting the upper left corner with a fantastic reverse shot. With less than a minute left in the half, Amir was awarded a penalty stroke, and Rohit converted with a low and powerful shot from the spot to make the score 8-0.
In the fourth quarter, India displayed greater patience in the build-up, with Manmeet Singh, Hundal, Dilraj, and other Indian forwards threatening to score. In the 52nd minute, Kushwaha scored India’s 10th goal by redirecting Amir’s pass from the left wing. India continued to press for another goal while maintaining perfect ball control and playing excellent defense. Mukesh found himself unmarked in the circle and rifled the ball into the net, securing India’s 11-0 win.
