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India, China and Pakistan receive the gold, silver and bronze medals respectively before Harmanpreet Singh gets his hand on the Asian Champions Trophy. A superb tournament for India as they won all their matches in China and never looked on the backfoot.
India win Asian Champions Trophy: India captain Harmanpreet Singh wins the Player of the Tournament award.
FT, India 1-0 China: China’s Lin Changliang wins the player of the match award. “I feel really proud because of what he have achieved,” he says. “I want to thank all the spectators for their support in the tournament and the final.”
FT, India 1-0 China: India win the 2024 Asian Champions Trophy! China threw the kitchen sink late on but India stayed solid at the back. It’s a fifth title for India and the second in a row for Craig Fulton’s side.
Q4, India 1-0 China: China use their referral to ask for a PC after Pal stick checked Ao Yang just on the edge of the 23m zone. It’s a good referral because it was right on the line. The TV umpire believes that the stick check was outside the 23m line and it will only be a free hit for the hosts. Just 27 seconds left in the match.
Q4, India 1-0 China: China finally get possession and lay siege to the Indian circle. There is an attempt on goal but it sails harmlessly over goal. China win a long corner but Pal wins the ball and eats away valuable seconds keeping the ball in the corner.
Q4, India 1-0 China: With less than five minutes left, China take off their goalkeeper, Wang Weihao for an extra outfield player. The Chinese fans are still cheering loudly for their team. Unfortunately for them, India are simply not giving the ball away.
Q4, India 1-0 China: INDIA TAKE THE LEAD! The two defenders Harmanpreet and Jugraj combine to break the deadlock! India won a free hit on the 23m line. Harmanpreet took it and made his way to the goalline. The Chinese defenders give him space to deny him the chance of playing the ball onto their feet and win a PC. Harmanpreet spots Jugraj free in the circle and plays a perfect pass. Jugraj takes a touch before slotting the ball past Wang Weihao. A rare field goal for Jugraj that and India are just under nine minutes away from defending their title.
Q4, India 0-0 China: China start the final quarter strongly and attack down the right before winning a free hit. India repel the chance but China come back straight away. India sitting behind now as China ping the ball around. Rohidas finally wins possession for India and it is now China’s turn to sit deep.
Q3, India 0-0 China: Vivek Sagar Prasad goes down in a heap after trying to block a Chinese pass. The ball came off his stick and onto his left knee. Looks in pain. Gets some treatment on the pitch before being helped off it. Just under two minutes left in the third quarter now.
Q3, India 0-0 China: Lu Yuanlin’s drag flick is deflected off Amit Rohidas and China get another PC. This time they get past Rohidas but Pathak makes the save. A good spell of attack from China but India keep them at bay.
Q3, India 0-0 China: China hit on the counter and win a free hit on the edge of the circle. China take in quickly but they are blocked by three Indian defenders. The umpire gives a PC as the Indian defenders had not retreated five metres. Harmanpreet and Pathak both saying that the Chinese player had not stopped the ball completely before taking the free hit. India use their review unsuccessfully. It will be a Chinese PC.
Q3, India 0-0 China: China win their second PC of the match. The injection is a tad slow. Chen Benhai flicks the ball onto the path of He Yonghua who slides in to deflect it into goal. But the flick did not have enough power leaving Yonghua to do a lot and the Chinese player ends up playing the ball onto his own body.
Q3, India 0-0 China: China with a rare foray into the Indian circle. Lin Changliang is closed down by Jugraj in the circle. He tries to shoot but ends up whacking Jugraj on the shin. India get the free hit away which is taken after Jugraj brushes off the blow.
Q3, India 0-0 China: China get us started in the third quarter. India win possession soon enough and resume trying to break down the Chinese defence. No dice as Abhishek loses the ball and gives away a free hit trying to get it back.
HT, India 0-0 China: A good half of hockey but no goals to show for it. Wang Weihao has been rock solid in the Chinese goal and has kept his side in the match. India had a whopping 84% of possession but were unable to find a way through the Chinese defence.
Q2, India 0-0 China: That is one hell of a tackle from Jugraj Singh to take the ball away from Chen Benhain. The Chinese forward was bearing down on goal but Jugraj timed his tackle from behind perfectly to take the ball off Benhain.
Q2, India 0-0 China: Penalty stroke for India as Manpreet Singh is brought down by Weihao! China review it. The replays show that Weihao got the ball before he swept Manpreet off the ground. The decision is reversed and the play will start with a bully.
Q2, India 0-0 China: Harmanpreet hits the post! Sukhjeet Singh wins India’s third PC. Vivek fails to trap the injection but manages to pass it to Harmanpreet. The Indian captain sweeps the ball goalwards. Weihao is nowhere near the scene but fortunately, the ball cannons back off the post.
Q2, India 0-0 China: India getting increasingly frustrated trying to find a way through the Chinese low block. Jarmanpreet, waiting to be subbed on, has an animated chat with Fulton. The longer China keep this goalless, the better their chances of possibly getting a goal on the counter.
Q2, India 0-0 China: Mohammed Raheel gets a green card for a shove on a Chinese player just as they were launching the counter. India will be down for two minutes for the next two minutes.
Q1, India 0-0 China: China win their first penalty corner of the match with 15 seconds left in the quarter. Krishan Pathak makes a good save to deny the Chinese. The hosts come back to attack from the long corner with the clock running down. Pathak makes another save just as the hooter goes off.
Q1, India 0-0 China: A couple of superb saves from Weihao keeps India at bay. Nilakanta Sharma tried his luck from the edge of the circle. Sukhjeet was in Weihao’s line of vision and jumped out of the way. Weihao barely had any time to react but saved the shot anyway. A minute later, Abhishek finds Sukhjeet in the circle who shoots at goal but Weihao is at hand to deny him once again.
Q1, India 0-0 China: No he cannot. His first attempt is blocked by the first rusher and India get another PC. Harmanpreet shortens his run-up but drags his flick wide off the goal. The crowd has been superb today. They were cheering even when China were defending.
Q1, India 0-0 China: Raj Kumar Pal has a crack at goal which saved by Weihao. The rebound comes to Pal who closes down the distance and flicks the ball towards Sukhjeet. The umpire, however, gives a penalty corner to India for a foul on Pal. Can Harmanpreet Singh make it goal no 8 in China?
Q1, India 0-0 China: China have been solid in defence so far with some really good tackles leading to quick counter attacks. However, they haven’t been really able to test the Indian defence.
Q1, India 0-0 China: Araijeet Singh Hundal smashes a cross from the left but Chinese captain Meng Dihao blocks the shot with his foot. He caught the ball at point blank range and is taken off the field.
Q1, India 0-0 China: A good run from Vivek Sagar Prasad down the left. He juggles the ball along the goalline before playing it to Sukhjeet Singh. The Indian forward, with his back to the goal, has five Chinese defenders around him but he skilfully keeps the ball before flicking the ball from between his legs at goal. Goalkeeper Wang Weihao is quick to react and makes the save.
Q1, India 0-0 China: India, wearing their white kit, get the match started. And even before the first pass was made, chants of ‘China, China’ erupt from the crowd. China, playing in the final for the first time, make an error in defence which gives India an early circle entry but they are unable to create a clear chance.
India vs China: It is a windy and chilly night in Hulunbuir City and we have a packed stadium tonight. Red is the primary, and dare I say, the only the colour tonight. China have the numbers but India, the 2024 Olympics bronze medallists, have the quality. The two teams come out to the pitch. The Chinese national anthem is roared out by the capacity crowd before the ‘Jana Gana Mana’ plays out.
The Pakistan team, which won bronze in the earlier match, are sitting in the stands and they are also waving the Chinese flag.
India vs China, Craig Fulton: We got to play the game and not the occasion. It’s a full house. We need to do our basic things well and do them for all four quarters.
Hello and welcome to Scroll’s coverage of the men’s hockey Asian Champions Trophy final!
Defending champions India take on hosts China in what promises to be a good final in Hulunbuir City, China. India have won all six matches they have played so far scoring 26 goals and conceding only five.
India had beaten China 3-0 when these two played in the first round of matches with Sukhjeet Singh, Uttam Singh and Abhishek scoring that day.
Screenshots in the blog courtesy Sony LIV and FIH.