Indians maul hapless Indonesia

Indian men’s hockey team hammered a lowly Indonesia 17-0 to open its title defence in a rousing fashion at the Asian Games, here on Monday.

As many as three players scored a hat-trick as India toyed with the Indonesians in the lop-sided Pool ‘A’ encounter.

Dilpreet Singh (6th, 29th, 32nd min), Simranjeet Singh (13th, 38th, 53rd) and Mandeep Singh (29th, 44th, 49th) scored a hat-trick each for India, while Rupinder Pal Singh (1st, 2nd), Akashdeep Singh (10th, 44th), S V Sunil (25th), Vivek Sagar (26th), Harmanpreet Singh (31st) and Amit Rohidas (54th) were the other scorers.

It was expected to be a goal feast as Indonesians were never a match for the world No 5 Indians.

Indonesia got a chance to play in the event only by virtue of being hosts.

The floodgates opened from the onset and continued till the final hooter was blown.

The Indians had 40 shots at the goal out of which they converted 17.

India scored 10 field goals, six from penalty corners and one from the spot.

They converted six out of 11 penalty corners earned.

Such was the difference in quality between the two sides that Indonesia had only one crack at Indian goal.

India will next play Hong Kong China on Wednesday.