India thrash Belgium 4-0 in Junior WC playoff match

Singapore:

India continued their goal-scoring spree and thrashed Belgium 4-0 in their second Group G match for ninth to 16th position playoff in the FIH Junior Men's Hockey World Cup on Monday.

Captain Diwakar Ram (25 min), Mohammad Amir Khan (27th), Victo Singh (40th) and Jay Karan (59th) scored a goal each to ensure the facile win for India at the Seng Kang Sports Complex here.

With two successive wins in as many matches, India now top Pool G with six points and are certain to play for the 9-10 position play-off match. They will next take on England in their last pool fixture here on Wednesday.

For the second day on the trot, the Indians played a well controlled match with well measured accurate passes and good counter attacks.

However, India squandered three early opportunities to take the lead with an alert Belgian defence bringing off goalline saves from the attempts of forward line trio of Mandeep Antil, Victo and Danish Mujtaba.

The Indian colts finally broke the ice in the 25th minute when Diwakar's powerful dragflick found the top left corner of the Belgian goal as custodian Jeremy Gucassoff stood like a silent spectator. Two minutes later Amir Khan doubled the scoreline, deflecting home from a Mujtaba cross from the right flank.

Towards the end of the first session, Belgium earned three penalty corners but on all the three occasions a vigilant Mrinal Choubey, under the bars, foiled their attempts to see India go into the breather with a 2-0 lead.

Five minutes after the resumption of play, India increased their tally when Victo trapped a hard centre from Antil to push past Belgian goalkeeper Gucassoff.

From there on, the Indians made rapid substitutions in their forward line and accelerated the pace in the last quarter.

An electric Jay Karan and Danish Mujtaba move in tandem gave India it's fourth goal with the former getting the final touch in the 59th minute.