India blast Oman 9-0 to keep last four berth hopes alive

Doha, Dec 8 (UNI) A desperate India went ballistic in the second half and pounded Oman 9-0 to keep their hopes alive for a semi-final berth in the men's hockey competition of the Asian Games here this evening.

For India, who led 3-0 at half time, the goal scorers were Shivendra Singh (three) Hari Prasad, Tushar Khandekar (two each), Arjun Halappa and Dilip Tirkey (one each). Now India play South Korea in their last do or die match. The former champions will have to win that encounter as even a draw will not help.

Korea beat China 3-0 this morning and now have nine points from three matches with one to go. China has finished their league assignment with nine points and India have six points but have a better goal average of plus 14 as compared to plus five of China.

India had to win this match by a big margin and they made small group of their supporters at the stadium miss a beat when they led only 3-0 at half-time.

However, the second session saw a totally different team and the Indians went on the attack as their lives were dependent on the outcome and it paid the dividends.

After this match, India now have a goal difference of 14 (having scored 17 and conceded three), while China -- with their assignment over -- have a three plus goal difference in their favoure (10 scored seven conceded).

India earned 11 penalty corners and converted five in a contest which became totally one sided in the second half.

The Indians once again looked sluggish in the first session and that created ripples in their bench. The first goal came in the 11th minute through Shivendra Singh, who scored off a penalty corner and the second came in the 28th minute when Hari Prasad found the target and the third a minute before the breather through Duilip Tirkey who converted a penalty corner.

A disturbed Indian management then inducted rookie Gurbaz into the attack replacing Ignace Tirkey and the move paid off as their was a sudden spark in the attack.

Gurbaz was persisted through out the second half while Ajmer Singh was used in bits and pieces as the Indians came alive.

Rajpal crafted two stunning moves which led to two goals and Arjun Halappa then activated the midfield along with Vinay and Gurbaz.

Shivendra Singh displayed his wears and the Tejbir-Tushar combine saw India through with a convincing margin and suddenly the former champions are back in the contention.

Six goals were pumped in a space of 22 minutes with Shibendra Singh making it 4-0 in the 40th minute.

Four Minutes later Tushar Struck off a penalty corner (5-0) and three minutes later Hari Prasad made it half a dozen for his side.

Three more came in the space of seven minutes with Tushar (55th) taking the tally to 7-0. Shivindera then scored his third and the team's eighth goal (60th) off a penalty corner and Arjun halappa completed the tally eight minutes before the final whistle.

''It was a good show in the second session,'' Coach V Baskaran said.

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