Chennai: The Indian men’s hockey team added another triumphant chapter to its journey in the Asian Champions Trophy 2023 by defeating the Republic of Korea 3-2 in a nail-biting encounter held at the Mayor Radhakrishnan Stadium in Chennai on Monday.
With this remarkable victory, the Indian team solidified its position at the summit of the points table, effectively securing a coveted place in the semi-finals. India now stands tall with 10 points from four matches, while Malaysia trails closely behind with nine points from an equal number of games.
Midfielders Nilakanta Sharma (6’), Captain Harmanpreet Singh (23’), and Mandeep Singh (33’) etched their names on the scoresheet for India, while Sunghyun Kim (12’) and Jihun Yang (58’) managed to find the net for Korea.
The Indian side, ranked fourth in the FIH men’s hockey rankings, commenced the game with a positive attitude. The sixth minute witnessed Sukhjeet Singh’s masterful stickwork, which set the stage for Nilakanta Sharma’s early goal through a brilliant assist.
Not to be outdone, the defending Asian Champions Trophy champions, Korea, responded with agility, as Sunghyun Kim’s powerful movement within the circle led to an equaliser just six minutes later.
The game’s pace remained fervent as India continued to press forward, resulting in their first penalty corner in the 22nd minute. Mandeep Singh’s skillful play forced a Korean defender’s infringement, ultimately leading to Harmanpreet Singh’s perseverance in breaking through the Korean defence to make it 2-1. This marked Harmanpreet Singh’s fifth goal in the competition.
Despite Korea’s circle penetrations, India’s attacking momentum remained intact. The second half commenced with a penalty corner opportunity for Korea, but they were unable to capitalise on it. India quickly seized the opportunity on the counter, with Mandeep Singh firing a low shot on the reverse to extend the lead to 3-1. India’s ambition to expand their lead further was thwarted when Harmanpreet Singh missed a penalty stroke in the 47th minute.
Korea’s desperate attempts to bridge the gap saw them earn a flurry of penalty corners, seven in total, within the following 10 minutes. However, India’s tenacious defence, led by Amit Rohidas and Manpreet Singh, kept the defending champions at bay.
In a late-game twist, Korea managed to reduce the deficit as Jihun Yang scored through yet another penalty corner just two minutes before the final whistle. Nevertheless, India held their ground, ultimately clinching a hard-fought victory with a 3-2 scoreline.
In earlier matches, India settled for a 1-1 draw against Japan, made a dominant statement with a 7-2 victory over the People’s Republic of China in the opener, and showcased their prowess by blanking Malaysia 5-0 in the third match.
The highly anticipated clash between arch-rivals India and Pakistan is set to unfold on Wednesday. This match will serve as India’s final round-robin encounter in the 2023 Asian Champions Trophy, and fans worldwide eagerly await the thrilling showdown.
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