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India's hockey team managed to eke out a thrilling 2-2 draw against defending champions South Korea in action-packed Super 4 clash of the Asia Cup 2025 on Wednesday, September 3.
Hardik Singh put India in the lead early with a goal in the 8th minute. However, Korea quickly responded with two goals in two minutes, as Yang Jihun scored in the 12th minute, followed by Hyeonhong Kim in the 14th, giving Korea the lead. In the final quarter, Mandeep Singh scored in the 52nd minute, equalizing the score and helping India secure a point.
Looking ahead, India will face Malaysia on Thursday, September 4. Malaysia is currently the only team in the tournament with a perfect win record after their dominant 4-0 victory over China earlier on September 3.
India pull off 2-2 draw against South Korea in Asia Cup Super 4 battle
Following a slight rain delay, the match began with India showing great promise, making several aggressive attacks and penetrating the circle. They earned two early penalty corners in the second and seventh minutes but couldn't convert either. The hosts finally broke through in the eighth minute when Sukhjeet Singh won the ball in the midfield and passed it to Hardik Singh. Hardik then made an incredible solo run, weaving through the Korean defense before calmly slotting the ball past the goalkeeper to give India a 1-0 lead.
Korea, however, was quick to retaliate, scoring two successive goals to take the lead. In the 12th minute, Jihun Yang converted a penalty stroke awarded after a foul by Jugraj Singh, firing a powerful shot into the top right corner to level the score. Just two minutes later, Hyeonhong Kim successfully converted a penalty corner with a well-executed drag flick, putting Korea ahead.
The second quarter was a tight, tactical affair. India maintained pressure with relentless attacks, but the Korean defense held firm, showcasing their tight man-marking. Despite India's persistent efforts, they struggled to find a way through. A key opportunity came in the 22nd minute when captain Harmanpreet Singh delivered a long pass to Jarmanpreet Singh on the right flank, but Jarmanpreet’s sharp-angled shot was met with a strong save from the Korean goalkeeper.
The third quarter ended in a stalemate, with Korea maintaining its narrow lead. Despite creating numerous opportunities, India struggled to convert them. A notable chance came in the 41st minute when Manpreet Singh delivered a precise pass to Sukhjeet Singh on the far post, but his shot narrowly missed the target with only the goalkeeper to beat. Shortly after, Abhishek had two attempts on goal, but both went wide. The quarter concluded with Harmanpreet Singh's drag flick from a penalty corner being saved on the line by a Korean defender.
India continued their push for an equalizer in the final quarter. Another penalty corner in the 49th minute, taken by Jugraj Singh, was blocked by the first rusher. Moments later, Mandeep Singh's powerful backhanded shot was brilliantly saved by the Korean goalkeeper. However, Mandeep finally broke through in the 53rd minute, capitalizing on a perfect pass from Sukhjeet Singh to tap the ball into an empty net and level the game. In the final minutes, both teams won penalty corners but failed to score the winning goal. A last-gasp effort by Sukhjeet Singh, assisted by a lobbed pass from Abhishek, just missed the post, sealing a hard-fought draw for both sides after four highly competitive quarters.
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