MOHALI: India emerged victorious in a close final on Thursday, scoring four goals in just 11 minutes to defeat Japan 4-1 and clinch their sixth Asian Champions Trophy.
The Men in Blue won their third trophy to the kitty by winning two consecutive titles in 2023 and 2024, and remained invincible throughout the championship, winning all seven matches.
Kazumasa Matsumoto scored for Japan in the 3rd minute with a backhand shot and helped the side to maintain the lead until halftime.
India came back strongly in the second half when Shilanand Lakra equalised in the 42nd minute, scoring with an offshoot from a penalty corner formation played by team captain Harmanpreet Singh.
Dilpreet Singh restored the lead for India in the 47th minute, while Jugraj Singh scored from a drag flick in the 52nd minute and Vivek Sagar Prasad scored the last goal in the 53rd minute.
Captain Harmanpreet Singh was a key attacking player for India in the tournament, supported well by Hardik Singh, Amit Rohidas, Shilanand Lakra and goalkeeper Krishan Bahadur Pathak in the final match.
“The team never changed its approach, whatever the scoreline. We stuck to the plan we were given,” Harmanpreet told ANI.
He said that the calmness of his team, especially in the last quarter of the game, helped him to score those late goals.
Mandeep Singh, the forward player, thanked the spectators, saying that it was the first time that such a huge crowd had attended a hockey match in Punjab.
India have lifted the trophy in 2011, 2016, 2018 (shared), 2023, 2024 and 2026, making it a total of six times.
Japan are still waiting for a first title, having lost finals in 2013, 2021 and now 2026.
The final wasn’t India’s first meeting with Japan this fortnight; men in blue also beat them 4-1 in the league stage in Jalandhar, with striker Abhishek Nain scoring twice.
Japan’s Shota Yamada scored their only goal from a penalty stroke in that game. India then beat South Korea 8-1 in the semifinal.
Malaysia took the bronze medal with a 5-2 win over South Korea earlier on Thursday.
The win came on home soil, in a tournament Hockey India made free to attend.
Hockey India president Dilip Tirkey said the aim was to “bring more supporters to the stands as the final was played before a packed house in Mohali.
“Before the tournament, the team needed to bring the same hunger, discipline and intensity to every match after India defended their Asian Games title,” Chief coach Craig Fulton said.
It was important that Punjab, a state that has produced so many hockey players, hosted an international tournament for the first time, Former India women’s captain Rani Rampal, said.
And seeing players’ families in the stands was the most heartening part, Rampal said.
“Japan were well prepared, and the game opened up once India moved to its attacking style late in the third quarter,” she added.
