Chennai, November 28, 2025 – India's FIH Junior Men's Hockey World Cup campaign began with a resounding 7-0 victory over Chile, sending a clear message of intent to the other competing nations. The match, held at the Mayor Radhakrishnan Hockey Stadium in Chennai, saw a dominant performance from the home side, with Rosan Khujur and Dilraj Singh each scoring twice. Ajeet Yadav, Anmol Ekka, and captain Rohit also contributed to the scoreline, underlining India's attacking prowess.
After the match, chief coach P.R. Sreejesh emphasized the simplicity of his message to the team: "Just put that ball into the goal". He stressed the importance of converting circle penetrations into goals and instilling a "killer attitude" within the players. "Once you are inside the circle don't relax, have killer attitude. You need to have the hunger to score goals. My message was simple, we need to score," Sreejesh stated.
The first quarter saw a cautious approach from both sides, with Chile presenting a compact defense that initially frustrated the Indian forwards. Despite enjoying plenty of possession, India struggled to break the deadlock. The visitors remained organized, limiting clear chances and thwarting India's attempts to penetrate their defense. India earned a penalty corner late in the first quarter, but skipper Rohit's flick was comfortably dealt with by the Chilean defense.
India's breakthrough came early in the second quarter when Rosan Khujur finished off a well-worked move inside the circle. Manmeet Singh picked up an aerial ball and fed it into space, allowing Rosan to slot it home. The goal visibly boosted India's confidence, and they quickly followed up with more attacking plays. Rosan soon after produced sharp stick work to beat two defenders and the Chilean goalkeeper, Nicolas Troncoso, after receiving a pass from Arshdeep Singh. Dilraj Singh further extended India's lead, reacting quickest to convert a rebound from a penalty corner in the 25th minute.
The second half saw India maintain their dominance, with Dilraj Singh grabbing his second goal after being set up by Ankit Pal. Ajeet Yadav then scored with a powerful reverse hit from a Gurjot Singh assist, making it 5-0. Anmol Ekka converted a penalty corner in the 48th minute, and Rohit rounded off the scoring with a penalty stroke in the 59th minute. Indian goalkeepers Bikramjeet Singh and Prince Deep Singh ensured a clean sheet, confidently handling Chile's limited opportunities.
India captain Rohit emphasized the coach's advice to remain patient and rotate the ball effectively. "Coach sir said not to hurry things, have patience, rotate the ball fast and wait for the right time," Rohit said. He added that the team focused on putting pressure on Chile's defense and capitalizing on scoring opportunities.
Looking ahead, Sreejesh acknowledged the need for continuous learning and improvement throughout the tournament. He expressed satisfaction with the team's decision-making on the field, highlighting the importance of players taking ownership during the game. "We give them every training, but they are the boss on the field and they have to take decisions. I am happy to see them take decisions and it's working for us," Sreejesh said.
The emphatic victory places India in a strong position in Pool B. India will next face Oman on Saturday, seeking to build on their impressive start. Other results in the tournament saw New Zealand defeat China 5-3, Argentina ease past Japan 4-1, and Switzerland pick up a 4-0 victory over Oman.
