Jugraj Singh’s late strike hands India record fifth Asian Champions Trophy title | Hockey News
Jugraj Singh scored the decisive goal in the 51st minute, breaking the deadlock in a tightly contested match.
Throughout the match, the Chinese team showcased strong defense, making it difficult for India to score in the first three quarters.
Jugraj’s field goal eventually made the difference, securing the win for the defending champions.
India, led by Harmanpreet Singh, had earlier defeated China 3-0 in their opening league game but faced a tougher challenge in the final.
China’s squad, participating in only their second international tournament final, showed notable resilience.
Their previous final appearance was in the 2006 Asian Games, where they lost to Korea.
Earlier in the competition, Pakistan won the third position by defeating Korea 5-2.
India’s offensive efforts were evident from the start, with players like Raj Kumar Pal and Sukhjeet Singh attempting several shots, but Chinese goalkeeper Wang Weihao made crucial saves.
India earned multiple penalty corners, but failed to capitalize until the final quarter.
China’s counterattacks kept the match competitive.
Despite mounting pressure, the Indian defense, led by goalkeeper Krishan Bahadur Pathak, held firm, especially during back-to-back penalty corners.
In the end, Harmanpreet’s skillful play set up Jugraj for the winning goal.
Despite China’s late attempt to equalize by playing with an extra field player, India maintained control and secured the victory.
