New Delhi: India defended their Asian Champions Trophy title had toughest challenge of the tournament against China, victory with a narrow figure 1-0.
In recent years, the Indian men’s hockey team has been dominant in Asia. After medaling at the last two Olympics, Harmanpreet Singh and his squad dominated the 2023 Asian Champions Trophy and triumphed at the Hangzhou Asian Games with large margins to secure gold. Despite missing key players in Hulunbuir, China, India managed to secure their fifth title in eight editions of the Asian Champions Trophy.
However, this victory didn’t come easily. Ranked 23rd in the world, the lowest among the six competing teams, China pushed India to the limit, holding them scoreless for 51 minutes. Defender Jugraj Singh finally broke the deadlock in the fourth quarter, converting a well-executed field goal to give India a 1-0 win.
China’s journey to the final was unexpected. Despite losing three round-robin matches, including a 0-3 defeat to India in the opener, they grew stronger as the tournament progressed, defeating Malaysia, Japan, and Pakistan to reach their second-ever final after the 2006 Asian Games.
A packed Moqi Training Base in Hulunbuir witnessed a spirited Chinese side, who attacked and defended with intensity. Despite India maintaining 84% possession at halftime, China’s defense held firm, marking Indian forwards tightly and switching to zonal marking outside their defensive zone. Goalkeeper Wang Weihao played a key role, stopping multiple drag-flick attempts by Harmanpreet and blocking several shots from the Indian forward line.
As the game progressed, China gained confidence in their attack, earning five penalty corners, one more than India. However, their inability to capitalize on these opportunities with poor injections and weak flicks made it easier for Indian goalkeepers Krishan Bahadur Pathak and Suraj Karkera to defend.
Despite India controlling possession, frustration grew due to their inability to score. Head coach Craig Fulton showed visible frustration on the sidelines, but Harmanpreet and his team remained patient, waiting for their moment. The breakthrough came from an unexpected play. With nine minutes left, Harmanpreet, typically playing in defense, took the initiative during a long corner, skillfully dribbling past three Chinese defenders before passing the ball to Jugraj Singh, who calmly slotted it past Weihao to secure the lead.
As time ran out, China made a bold move by substituting their goalkeeper for an extra field player in the final five minutes.
“It was a tough game, but a good one in the end. We had to work hard, but we got the result,” said Craig Fulton India coach. “Coming here with a young group and some new players, we were tired, but we found a way, and that’s always the sign of a good team.”
Hockey India announced a cash prize of ₹3 lakh for each player and ₹1.5 lakh for each support staff member. In the third-place playoff, Pakistan defeated South Korea 5-2.
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