INCHEON, Sept 21 (PTI): The Indian men�s hockey team started its campaign in the 17th Asian Games on a rousing note, blanking Sri Lanka 8-0 with Rupinderpal Singh scoring a hat-trick here today.
Rupinderpal pumped in three goals in the 12th, 45th and 46th minute, while Ramandeep Singh found the net in the 28th and 59th minute. There were also goals for Danish Mujtaba, Kangujam Chinglensana Singh and Raghunath Ramachandra at the Seonhak Hockey Stadium.
Mujtaba gave India the lead in as early as the sixth minute of the pool B match. Rupinderpal then converted a penalty stroke to put India 2-0 ahead.
Raghunath Ramachandra made it 3-0 for the former champions in the 13th minute, helping India enjoy complete control in the first quarter. As per the new rule, the duration of the game has been reduced from 70 to 60 minutes, with four quarters of 15 minutes each.
Six minutes into the second quarter, Kangujam Chinglensana Singh scored a brilliant field goal to make it 4-0, as India completely dominated proceedings in the middle.
That was followed by Ramandeep making it 5-0 in favour of India. He scored one more time in the game, just before final hooter. Before that though, Rupinder added to his tally by scoring in a span of one minute.
Indian women football team suffers 0-10 loss
Incheon, Sept 21 (PTI): Indian women�s team was today taught a football lesson by Thailand in a 0-10 result in their third Group A match at the Asian Games here today.
The much superior Thailand women led 8-0 at the interval.
India though have qualified for the quarterfinals after they mauled Maldives 15-0 in their campaign opener on September 14.
Today�s thrashing at the hands of Thailand was the second consecutive defeat for the Indians after an identical 0-10 drubbing by South Korea in their second group match on September 17.
Four goals each from captain Sung Ngoen Kanjana and midfielder Boothduang Wilaiporn and one each from substitutes Sornsai Pitasamai and Seesraum Naphat sealed the issue for Thailand in a one-sided encounter.
Such was Thailand�s domination that they surged into a 2-0 lead within eight minutes of the match and breezed to a 6-0 lead by the half hour mark.
India felt the absence of regular captain Bembem Devi, suspended for the game for a double booking against South Korea, in the midfield as their fleet-footed counterparts got behind the back four more often than not.
Stand-in captain Romi Devi and her defensive partners did try to shut it down but in vain.
