India clinch Asian Champions Trophy gold, China silver and Pakistan bronze

By Special Correspondent

LAHORE: The Asian Champions Trophy 2024 saw spectacular performances from the Indian and Pakistan men’s hockey teams, with India retaining their title and Pakistan claiming a well-deserved bronze. Held at the picturesque Moqi Hockey Training Base in the China Daur Ethnic Park, Hulunbuir, the tournament concluded on Tuesday with India defeating hosts China 1-0 in the final, while Pakistan secured a resounding 5-2 victory over Korea in the bronze medal match.

India’s triumph in a defensive battle:

India successfully defended their Hero Asian Champions Trophy title with a narrow 1-0 victory against China. Jugraj Singh (51’) scored the decisive goal in a fiercely contested game, marking India’s fifth Asian Champions Trophy title, making them the most successful team in the competition’s history. The final began with India on the offensive, with Vivek setting up an early chance for Sukhjeet, forcing China’s goalkeeper Wang Weihao into action. However, both sides remained steadfast in defense throughout the first half. India patiently probed for an opening, but China’s half-court press proved effective in thwarting the Indian offense. Krishan Pathak, India’s goalkeeper, made crucial saves to keep the game goalless, including blocking a penalty corner from China’s Jiesheng Gao towards the end of the first quarter.

Despite India’s relentless attacks, including a penalty corner attempt by Harmanpreet Singh that bounced off the post, the score remained 0-0 at halftime. China also created moments of danger on the counter, with Benhai Chen testing the Indian defense, but Jugraj Singh’s timely tackles prevented a breakthrough. In the third quarter, both teams continued to trade chances. While China earned multiple penalty corners, Pathak’s exceptional goalkeeping denied their efforts. India gradually increased the intensity, culminating in Harmanpreet Singh’s pass from the baseline finding Jugraj Singh in the 51st minute. Jugraj tucked the ball into the right bottom corner of the goal to break the deadlock. China, desperate to equalize, pushed forward aggressively, leading to an end-to-end game. However, India maintained their composure, controlling possession in the final minutes to secure the 1-0 victory and retain their title.

Pakistan’s resurgence to secure bronze:

In the bronze medal match, Pakistan staged a brilliant comeback, defeating Korea 5-2 to finish third in the Asian Champions Trophy 2024. After a disappointing semifinal loss to China, Pakistan rallied under pressure, with standout performances from Sufyan Khan and Hannan Shahid, each scoring twice to secure the win. Korea took an early lead in the 16th minute when Jungjun Lee scored with a lofted ball past Pakistan’s goalkeeper Ishtiaq Abdullah Khan. Despite a challenging second quarter, Pakistan regrouped during the halftime break. Sufyan Khan equalized in the 38th minute with a powerful penalty corner strike, igniting Pakistan’s offense. Just a minute later, Hannan Shahid scored a stunning field goal to give Pakistan the lead. Korea briefly equalized through a penalty corner in the 40th minute, but Pakistan responded swiftly. Rooman restored Pakistan’s lead in the 45th minute with a well-taken field goal. Sufyan Khan added his second of the match in the 49th minute, converting another penalty corner, and Hannan Shahid sealed the victory in the 54th minute with his sixth goal of the tournament. Pakistan’s defense, bolstered by goalkeeper Muneeb Ur-Rehman, who replaced Ishtiaq in the final quarter, held firm to secure the 5-2 win and the bronze medal. Reflecting on the victory, Hero of the Match Sufyan Khan said, “We are very happy to finish the tournament on a good note. Our coach, Tahir Zaman, gave us the confidence we needed at halftime, and we executed our game plan to perfection.”