Hockey World Cup 2023: India beat Japan 8-0 in the classification match at Birsa Munda Stadium in Rourkela

Hosts India, on Janaury 26, put eight goals past a hapless Japan to register a massive win and move into the 9th to 12th place classification round at the 2023 Men's Hockey World Cup.

Two goals apiece for Abhishek and skipper Harmanpreet Singh and one each for Mandeep Singh, Vivek Sagar Prasad, Sukhjeet and Manpreet Singh helped India to a easy victory.

Earlier, Argentina trounced Chile 8-0 and South Africa thrashed Malaysia 6-3 and Wales beat France 2-1 in the penalty shoot-out. Wales and France were level 2-2 at full-time.

Meanwhile, with the title race hotting up, the semi-finalists Australia-Germany and Belgium-Netherlands are busy priming themselves up for the showdown on Janaury 27 at the Kalinga stadium in Bhubaneswar.