Asian Games: Indian Men's Hockey Team Kicks Off Campaign With Commanding 16-0 Win Over Uzbekistan

Asian Games: Leading the charge for India were Lalit Upadhyay and Varun Kumar, both of whom showcased their scoring prowess by netting four goals apiece.

Indian men's hockey team for the Asian Games poses for photographs during a special send-off ceremony titled 'Sunehra Safar' on August 31, 2023 ( Image Source :PTI )

The Indian Men's Hockey Team began their Asian Games 2023 journey with an emphatic victory over Uzbekistan. The Indian squad delivered an outstanding performance on Sunday, September 24th, overpowering their opponents with a remarkable final score of 16-0. Leading the charge for India were Lalit Upadhyay and Varun Kumar, both of whom showcased their scoring prowess by netting four goals apiece.

Adding to the goal-scoring spectacle was Mandeep Singh, who secured a memorable hat-trick during the match. This resounding victory sends a clear message that the reigning Asian Champions Trophy holders are determined to make their mark at the Asian Games and aim for nothing less than the gold medal.

Their victory in their Asian Games campaign opener was recognised by the Sports Authority of India (SAI) who took to X (formerly Twitter) to congratulate the Harmanpreet Singh-led team. 

"They've aced the group stage opening match with their exceptional performance after defeating Team 🇺🇿 Uzbekistan. Let's keep the momentum going as we move forward in the competition! 💪," SAI's post on the micro-blogging site.

Take a look at the tweet here:

The 🇮🇳 Men's Hockey Team shines in the group stage! 🏑🇮🇳

They've aced the group stage opening match with their exceptional performance after defeating Team 🇺🇿 Uzbekistan. Let's keep the momentum going as we move forward in the competition! 💪

Go #TeamIndia💪🏻🏑#Cheer4India… pic.twitter.com/MMjsGWXbBB

— SAI Media (@Media_SAI) September 24, 2023

The opening quarter of the game itself set the tone for the rest of the match as Lalit Upadhyay and Varun Kumar both found the net, giving India an early two-goal lead. However, the second quarter witnessed an even more spectacular performance from the Indian squad. Abhishek, Mandeep Singh, and Lalit Upadhyay all contributed goals, extending India's lead to 5-0. Mandeep Singh, in particular, continued his scoring spree by netting two more goals before halftime, leaving the score at an impressive 7-0 in favor of India. As the third quarter commenced, India showed no signs of letting up.

Varun Kumar, Sukhjeet, and Amit Rohidas all added to the scoreline, further extending India's lead to a commanding 10-0. Sukhjeet and Lalit Upadhyay each struck again, concluding the third quarter with India firmly in control at 12-0 before scoring four more goals in the final quarter.

Varun Kumar scored two goals in the final quarter to take his goals tally to four in the match, closely followed by Lalit Upadhyay, who also notched up his fourth goal. The relentless Indian squad continued their impressive display by adding two more goals to their tally, with Sanjay also chipping in with a goal that helped to achieve the rare and dominating timeline.