India eye 7th Asian Champions Trophy final as Mohali makes international debut
India will be chasing a record-extending seventh appearance in the Asian Champions Trophy final when they take on Korea in the semi-finals on Wednesday, November 4. The occasion will be even more special as Mohali prepares to host its first-ever international hockey match at the Olympian Balbir Singh Senior Hockey Stadium.
ASIAN CHAMPIONS TROPHY: FULL COVERAGE
India and Korea will battle for a place in the final, while the other last-four clash will see Malaysia take on Japan. The action on Wednesday will begin with the fifth-sixth place playoff between Bangladesh and China before the two semi-finals bring the curtain down on a historic day for Mohali. Excitement is already building as the city prepares to welcome international hockey for the first time.
The tournament enjoyed an encouraging turnout during its league-stage matches in Jalandhar, with India producing a dominant display in front of the home crowd. The team will be hoping for similar support in Mohali as they look to take another step towards the title. However, standing in their way is a Korean side in transition, one that India will be expected to overcome.
DOES DOMINANT INDIA HAVE ANYTHING TO WORRY ABOUT?
Going by India’s performances in the league stage, there is little reason to doubt their credentials as title favourites. The hosts have been in formidable form, winning all five of their round-robin matches to finish unbeaten at the top of the standings.
India scored 34 goals and conceded just five during the league phase, underlining their dominance at both ends of the pitch. Their attacking threat has also been spread across the forward line, with Sukhjeet Singh and Dilpreet Singh emerging as key contributors with four goals apiece.
Abhishek has also made his mark with three goals, although an injury kept him out of the previous game. Leading the scoring charts is skipper Harmanpreet Singh, who has found the net nine times in the tournament. Fellow drag-flicker Jugraj Singh has chipped in with three goals, further highlighting India’s depth in penalty-corner specialists.
The upcoming clash against Korea also gives India an opportunity to build on their recent dominance over the Asian rivals. Before thrashing them 8-0 in Jalandhar, India had registered an emphatic 8-2 victory over Korea in Nagoya during the Asian Games. That remains their biggest winning margin against Korea at the continental showpiece.
However, despite their impressive numbers and attacking firepower, India have one area they will be keen to address before the knockout stage.
In the four matches following their 13-0 demolition of Bangladesh, India have shown signs of vulnerability in the second quarter. The team has occasionally lost its grip on proceedings during that period, allowing opponents back into games.
Their previous meeting against Korea in Jalandhar saw India concede as many as six penalty corners. Against China, Malaysia and Japan, too, the second quarter proved to be a tricky period, with India conceding the equaliser before recovering in the final two quarters to turn things around.
Indian coach Craig Fulton, however, played down the concerns following the win over Korea, insisting that his team was in a good position.
“I think we’re in a good place. We’ve scored eight goals and kept a clean sheet. I can’t complain. I’m happy with where we are,” said Fulton.
The Indian coach was nevertheless aware that the knockout stage brings a different kind of pressure, with little room for mistakes. He stressed that his players could not afford to become complacent, regardless of their impressive league-stage record.
“The pressure will be different. We need a good start, that’s going to be the key,” said Fulton.
With a place in the final at stake and the home crowd expected to turn up in numbers, India will need to maintain their intensity from the opening whistle. Their dominance so far has made them the team to beat, but the real test begins now. Another commanding performance would take them within touching distance of yet another Asian Champions Trophy crown.
INDIA VS KOREA: HEAD-TO-HEAD
Korea have found it increasingly difficult to get the better of India over the past decade. Their last victory against the Indian team in regulation time came in the 2013 Asia Cup final. They did manage another notable win in the intervening years, beating India in the 2019 Sultan Azlan Shah Cup final, although that triumph came through a penalty shootout.
The overall numbers also underline India’s advantage. In 26 meetings between the two sides, India have won 16 matches, while seven encounters have ended in draws.
INDIA VS KOREA: TEAM NEWS
India’s biggest concern heading into the semi-final will be the fitness of star forward Abhishek. The 27-year-old was forced off during the victory against Malaysia after picking up an injury and subsequently missed the final league-stage match against Korea.
His availability for the semi-final remains uncertain, with Fulton admitting that the situation could require patience. Given the form of India’s forward line, the hosts will hope they have enough firepower to cope if Abhishek is unavailable. However, his absence would undoubtedly be a setback at such a crucial stage of the tournament.
ASIAN CHAMPIONS TROPHY: NOVEMBER 4 SCHEDULE
2:00 PM: China vs Bangladesh (5th-6th place match)
4:30 PM: Japan vs Malaysia (First semi-final)
7:00 PM: India vs South Korea (Second semi-final)
ASIAN CHAMPIONS TROPHY, SEMI-FINALS: LIVESTREAMING DETAILS
The Asian Champions Trophy matches on November 4 will be broadcast live in India on Star Sports Select 2. The matches will also be available for livestreaming on the JioHotstar app and website.
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