India beat Malaysia in the final of the Asian Champions Trophy. - PHOTO: Hockey India
CHENNAI: They were once the wizards of the game. And India, now ranked among the world's elite again, also showed they are fighters too as they gear up for next month's Asian Games in China and the 2024 Olympics in Paris.
And what a performance it was in Saturday night's Asian Champions Trophy final against Malaysia. A brilliant performance by the world No.3 that will always be remembered for years by the home fans.
India managed to come back from a 1-3 deficit to defeat Malaysia by a 4-3 margin in the final of the Asian Champions Trophy hockey tournament at the Mayor Radhakrishnan Stadium in Chennai on Saturday.
For India, Jugraj Singh (ninth minute PC), Harmanpreet Singh (45′, penalty stroke), Gurjant Singh (45′) and Akashdeep Singh (56′) were on the scoreboard. The two goals India scored at the end of the third quarter turned the game around.
India have thumped Japan 5-0 in the semifinals, while Malaysia hammered South Korea 6-2. In the round-robin league, India had blanked Malaysia 5-0.
It was as close to a complete performance as they come for India in the semifinal against Japan. While the defence did not give anything away – India did not concede even one penalty corner, allowed Japan to enter their ‘D’ only 8 times and let just 1 shot on goal – the attackers were at their imaginative best.
There were five different goal scorers and four field goals, with each being better than the previous; a show of patience, skill, creativity and audacity.
As for Saturday night - It was a thrilling display of intense hockey, India conquered victory in a nail-biting final showdown against Malaysia in the 2023 Asian Champions Trophy, hosted at the Mayor Radhakrishnan Stadium in Chennai.
The pulsating final began with Malaysia seizing the early tempo. However, India's Akashdeep quickly intercepted the ball, seemingly initiating an early attack. Malaysia's Azrai tried to burst into the Indian circle from the left flank, but he was quickly halted by the stout defense of Jarmanpreet.
But Malaysia held their nerve to take control of the quarter and were Malaysia took a 3-1 lead in the first-half.
In the first quarter, India took the lead through Jugraj Singh, who unleashed a superb penalty corner with a stinging shot.
The lead lasted five minutes as Malaysia got the equaliser when Mohd Azrai Aizad Abu Kamal scored a field goal, by lobbing the ball over India’s goalkeeper R. Sreejesh.
In the second quarter, Malaysia doubled their lead when Razie Rahim’s drag flick was deflected by India’s Amit Rohidas into his own net.
Malaysia silenced the fervent Indian crowd when Aminuddin Mohd Zain scored a penalty corner in the 27th minute to give Malaysia its third goal.
In the third quarter, India were off to a blistering start but were contained well by the Malaysian defence with goalkeeper Hafizuddin Othman pulling off a few good saves.
But towards the end of the third quarter, India got one goal back in the 44th minute when Harmanpreet Singh buried a penalty stroke and eventually got the equaliser a few seconds later through a Gurjant Singh field goal.
The fourth quarter proved end to end as both sides exchanged attacks, looking for a lead but the defences stole the show with their interceptions and clearances.
India had the last laugh when Akashdeep Singh scored a field goal off a counterattack in the 55th minute.
It was India’s fourth Asian Champions Trophy, while it's the first time Malaysia have qualified for the final of the tournament.
