Moqi (China), September 6: India’s junior men’s hockey team came from behind to draw 3-3 against Japan in their second Pool A match of the Men’s Junior Asia Cup on Sunday, with captain Anmol Ekka scoring the equaliser with less than a minute left on the clock.
Ekka gave India the lead in the 4th minute with a penalty stroke, and Ashu Maurya doubled the advantage in the 10th minute with a penalty corner. Japan pulled one back almost immediately through Ryushin Sasaki’s penalty corner in the 11th minute, leaving India ahead 2-1 at the break.
Japan hit back late before Ekka’s equaliser
Japan’s captain Kazuki Nakanishi levelled the match at 2-2 with a penalty corner in the 48th minute, then put his side ahead 3-2 with another penalty corner conversion with just over a minute left on the clock. India were staring at defeat until Ekka stepped up again, converting a penalty corner with 59 seconds remaining to make it 3-3 and rescue a point.
India face Korea next
The draw came after India had opened their campaign with a 14-0 win over Indonesia. They next play Korea on September 8 in their third Pool A fixture.
