Sandeep Singh grabs first hat trick of Jr Asia Cup
By Our Sports Reporter
KARACHI, April 22: Seven-goal Sandeep Singh scored a sparkling hat trick in India's thumping 17-1 victory over Sri Lanka to give arch-rivals Pakistan a stern warning at Junior Asia Cup hockey on Thursday.
India were too hot to handle for minnows Sri Lanka as they blasted home seven goals before the breather and went on goal rampage after resumption at Hockey Club of Pakistan.
"I am pleased with my team's performance. Sandeep's role is commendable and I will say he is mentally prepared to take Pakistan or any other team in the tournament. "We got 17 penalty corners and converted nine of them which is almost 50 per cent ratio and that is quite good," India coach Harendra Singh said at a post-match press conference.
However, he refrained from comparing Sandeep's skills with Pakistani penalty corner strikes - Imran Warsi and Mohammad Imran - saying his side was ready to take any side. "Pakistan is not our prime concern. We are here to take all the teams seriously. I can say something on Sandeep's performance but will not comment on Pakistani short corner specialists," coach said.
Although Pakistan and India are in different pool, they are being expected to face each other in semifinals. Sandeep Singh, the penalty corner striker and the architect of his team's win, started with two quick goals. The full-back first slammed home a penalty corner in the first minute of the game and then a penalty stroke in the 11th minute.
Hari Prasad netted off a minus pass from captain Sandeep Micheal in the 15th minute before William Xalxo scored off an indirect drill and a Sandeep Micheal deflection made it 5-0.
Sandeep Singh was again on target in the 25th minute but was denied by Sri Lanka goalkeeper Thusitha Ratnasiri in the 33rd minute. Girish Pimpale found the cage with an indirect drill a minute before halftime.
Sandeep Singh maintain his goal-spree yet into the second half, scoring his fourth two minutes after the change of ends. Birendra Lakra set up Nitin Kuamar for ninth goal in the 41st minute and Prasad netted his second in the 44th minute.
A four-touch movement ended on a Tushar Handker goal in the 45th minute. Sandeep Singh again netted two rapid goals within a space of two minutes. He got his fifth in the 46th minute and the sixth in the 48th minute. Sri Lankans failed to contain the Indian attack despite replacing goalkeeper Ratnasiri by T. Jayaprakash in the 50th minute.
While Sandeep Singh was the pick of his side, a defensive lapse by the defender gave Sri Lanka a consolation through skipper H.S. Hettiarachchi in the 51st minute. Sandeep Singh finally completed his hat trick, the first of the tournament, in the 57th minute. Sandeep Micheal (61st minute), D. Muthuselvan (67th minute) and Handker (69th minute) finished off the job.
Defending champions South Korea got the better of 5-0 earlier. Jong Hyun Jang struck twice in the 19th and 30th minutes to give his side a 2-0 lead. Sung Kweon Hong found the target in the 38th minute, Chang Yong Yeo in the 61st minute and Hong got his double three minutes before time.
