Maninder Singh netted four goals as India dominated Jamaica 13-0 in their third and final pool match, securing a spot in the quarterfinals of the FIH Hockey5s men's World Cup in Muscat on January 29.
Maninder found the back of the net twice in the second minute and once each in the 28th and 29th minutes, all of which were field goals.
Manjeet (5th, 24th), Raheel Mohammed (16th, 27th), and Mandeep Mor (23rd, 27th) each scored a brace, while Uttam Singh (5th), Rajbhar Pawan (9th), and Gurjot Singh (14th) also contributed to the scoring.
India started the game with a strong offensive presence, with Maninder scoring two quick goals with precise shots. The early momentum continued as Uttam and Manjeet also found the back of the net, giving India a commanding 4-0 lead within the first six minutes.
Despite establishing a significant advantage, India maintained relentless pressure on Jamaica's defense with continuous attacks. Pawan and Gurjot seized their opportunities as India went into halftime with an impressive 6-0 lead.
The second half mirrored the first, with India focusing on ball possession and maintaining an aggressive offensive strategy. This approach paid off as Raheel, Mandeep, Manjeet, and Maninder collectively added to the scoreline, securing India's dominant 13-0 victory.
Before this match, the Indian team had defeated Switzerland but suffered a loss to Egypt in its first two Pool B matches on January 29.
However, India's victory against Jamaica has belted their spot in the quarterfinals.
Before facing Jamaica, the Indian team defeated Switzerland with a scoreline of 9-1 but faced a setback against Egypt in their first two Pool B matches. After three games, India finished second in Pool B.
In their match against Egypt, the African side emerged victorious with an 8-6 scoreline. Despite initially taking the lead with a field goal by Pawan Rajbhar in the 3rd minute, India faced challenges throughout the match. Although Rajbhar managed to complete a hat-trick with two more goals in the 21st and 29th minutes, the Egyptian side ultimately prevailed.
India's quarterfinal match is scheduled for January 30 in Muscat, with the fixtures set to begin at 2:10 PM IST. In the knockout match, India will face the Netherlands.
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