Vice-captain V R Raghunath,Rupinder Pal Singh and Nithin Thimmaiah scored a brace each toguide India to a resounding 9-1 win over minnows Oman andregister their second straight victory in the men's HeroHockey World League Round 2 here today.
Raghunath (3rd minute, 40th) and Rupinder (14th, 38th)converted two penalty corners apiece while Nithin (16th, 60th)scored his two goals through field efforts.
Dharamvir Singh (20th), debutant Mandeep Singh (42nd) andanother penalty corner specialist Gurjinder Singh (65th) werethe other goal scorers for the hosts at the floodlit MajorDhyan Chand Stadium.
Mohammed Hubais Al Shar scored the consolation goal forOman.
Ranked 21 places ahead of the 36th ranked Omanese, theIndians went into the match as favourites and expectedlycontrolled the proceedings from start to finish.
Oman's attacks were few and far between but wheneveropportunity came their way, they lacked quality to trouble theIndian defence. It didn't take too long for India to open thescoring as Raghunath converted the hosts' first penalty cornerin the third minute.
It was raining goals for India as Rupinder doubled thelead in the 14th minute from another set piece before Nithinmade it 3-0 two minutes later, scoring from close range afterpouncing on a loose ball.
A diving Dharamvir also registered his name in thescoresheet after gently tapping in Mandeep's pass from adifficult angle four minutes later.
Oman, however, pulled one back in the 35th minute from apenalty corner through Al Shar, whose low drag-flick beatIndian goalkeeper P R Sreejesh all ends up to go into thebreather trailing 1-4.