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Indian men's hockey team defeated hosts China in the opener clash of the Asian Champions Trophy 2024. The men in blue launch their title defence with a commanding 3-0 win.
Sukhjeet Singh (14th minute), Uttam, Singh (27th) and Abhishek (32nd) were the goal-scorers for India.
Entering the tournament after clinching a second consecutive bronze medal at the Olympics, India displayed a more dynamic performance. They seized opportunities upfront and were resolute in defense, securing a well-deserved victory.
"I think we played very well. We created some good chances but the best part is that we kept a clean sheet," captain Harmanpreet Singh said.
"Some new faces got an opportunity to perform and I think they played very well. It's a good opportunity for them to play with the Asian teams and gel with the senior team. They are skillful and very talented. I wish them the best for the future," he said.
India started slowly, allowing China to create an early counter-attack opportunity, but an alert Krishan Pathak managed to see the ball sail wide without any threat.
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Midway through the first quarter, Abhishek earned a penalty corner for India, but Harmanpreet’s drag flick was saved by the Chinese goalkeeper. China then launched a swift counter-attack, which was effectively neutralized by the Indian defense. With six minutes remaining in the quarter, China was awarded a penalty corner but failed to capitalize on the chance.
In the final moments of the first quarter, India put pressure on China with several entries into the circle. Although no clear chances emerged, Jugraj Singh unleashed a powerful drive into the shooting circle, which Sukhjeet deflected into the top corner, giving India a 1-0 lead.
In the second quarter, India continued to show alertness, with Abhishek taking an early shot that was saved by the Chinese goalkeeper, Caiyu Wang.
India started to dominate the game, steadily pushing China back into their own half. Just before halftime, Uttam extended India’s lead to 2-0 by slotting home a loose ball after Raheel’s close-range shot had been blocked.
In the third quarter, India came out aggressively. Manpreet passed the ball to Abhishek at the top of the circle, who fired a powerful shot that struck the backboard, making it 3-0 for India.
India will face Japan for their second match of the tournament which will take place on Monday.
In other matches, Malaysia held Pakistan 2-2 in a high-voltage contest, while Japan and Korea engaged in a goal-fest before settling for a 5-5 draw.
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