Asian Games 2018: Team India will find Japan harder to beat in hockey

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After two totally one-sided contests against Indonesia and Hong Kong, defending champions India are likely to face some resistance in their hockey league match against Japan here today.

India thrashed Indonesia 17-0 in their opener to improve on their previous Asian Games best of 12-0. Then, the former world champions mauled Hong Kong 26-0 to erase an 86-year-old record of 24-1, achieved against USA in the 1932 Olympics.

Having scored 43 goals in two matches as compared to the 20 goals they scored at the Incheon Asiad in 2014, India sure start as favourites, but Japan are not an easy team to beat. They know their basics unlike Indonesia and Hong Kong and with two wins in the kitty, Japan will take the field in the hope of causing an upset.

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