Men’s Asian Champions Trophy 2024: Skipper Harmanpreet Singh Celebrates 200 goals as India registers 3-1 victory against South Korea

New Delhi: Defending Champions India remained unbeaten within the Hero Asian Champions Trophy as they registered their fourth consecutive victory with a 3-1 win against Korea here on the Moqi Hockey Training Base in Hulunbuir, China on Thursday. Skipper Harmanpreet Singh (9’, Forty three’) scored a brace in India’s win while Araijeet Singh Hundal (Eight’) gave an early lead within the team’s win.

Having already booked a local within the semifinals, India looked to continue their winning ways against Korea of their penultimate league-stage match. The defending champions showcased this intent very early within the match with a wonderful eighth-minute goal by Araijeet Singh Hundal. It became a fierce cross pass by Vivek Sagar Prasad that became picked up well by Hundal from probably the most effective possible of the circle to scoop it in. In the following minute, Skipper Harmanpreet Singh scored from a PC to extend India’s lead to 2-Zero. This became Harmanpreet’s two hundredth international goal.

Korea, who registered a beautiful three-2 win against hosts China to climb up to 2d spot within the points table, were now now not going to let India have it easy. After shaking off the nerves within the first quarter, Korea bounced back with tactical defence curbing Indian attackers from keeping the ball possession. In the last seven minutes of the 2d quarter, they punished India with interjections and counter-attacks, finally putting in place a PC within the thirtieth minute of the match. Jihun Yang, who had scored a goal of their win against China the day long past by, came up with a fine PC execution to narrow India’s lead to 2-1.

The 1/3 quarter saw both India and Korea trade an equal collection of PCs with each earning four. On the other hand, simplest India may successfully put one within the internet with Harmanpreet developing with a resounding drag-flick to fetch his team a powerful three-1 lead. India played this quarter patiently and constructed a compact attack to stay upfront of a tactful Korea. Meanwhile, Krishan Pathak held sway on the goalpost to keep Korea from scoring.

The final quarter saw India do well as they dominated with ball possession and resorted to 1/2 of-press that led to potential counter-attacks. Though Korea made ambitious attempts to achieve, Suraj Karkera did well within the goalpost to confirm India didn’t concede a goal. India will take on arch-nemesis Pakistan of their next stumble upon.
Hero of the Match, Suraj Karkera of India said, “Korea is no easy team to beat but our mantra for the time being became to defend well. When it involves pressure, there is none as Coach has given us the freedom to play our game. We have trained with Sreejesh over the years and though that's some distance a significant shoe to fill in, we do our best.”