India Beat Japan 4-1 to Win a Record Sixth Asian Champions Trophy Title in Mohali

India beat Japan 4-1 in the final of the men's Asian Champions Trophy in Mohali on Thursday, November 5, coming from a goal down to win a record sixth title and a third in a row. The final was played at the Olympian Balbir Singh Senior International Hockey Stadium, and the hosts trailed for most of the first half before scoring four goals without reply after the break.

Japan scored first. Kazumasa Matsumoto found space in the third minute and beat goalkeeper Suraj Karkera with a reverse hit, and Japan held the 1-0 lead to half time with a compact defence that kept India out of the circle for long spells. India earned no penalty corner in the first two quarters, and the home crowd went quiet as the wait for an equaliser stretched into the third quarter.

Four goals in 12 minutes

The equaliser came in the 42nd minute. A penalty corner variation involving captain Harmanpreet Singh was kept alive after Japan goalkeeper Kisho Kuroda saved the first attempt, and Shilanand Lakra scored from close range off a pass from Aditya Lalage. Japan asked for a review, claiming the pass was dangerous, but the goal stood.

Dilpreet Singh put India ahead in the 48th minute, turning to score after Hardik Singh set him up inside the circle. Jugraj Singh made it 3-1 in the 53rd minute, converting a penalty corner with a drag flick. The fourth goal followed a minute later, and reports differ on who scored it. Khel Now and Revsportz credited Sukhjeet Singh with a deflection of a shot by Vivek Sagar Prasad. Reports from the PTI and ANI agencies credited Vivek Sagar Prasad with the finish himself. The Orbit Post is reporting the disagreement plainly until the official Hockey India match sheet settles the credit.

A perfect tournament

The win finished an unbeaten run of seven wins in seven matches for Craig Fulton's team. India won all five league matches in Jalandhar, beat South Korea 8-1 in the semi-final on November 4, and had already beaten Japan 4-1 in the league stage on October 30. India have now won the Asian Champions Trophy in 2011, 2016, 2018, 2023, 2024 and 2026. The 2018 title was shared. Japan finished as runner-up for the third time, after losing the finals of 2013 and 2021, and its wait for a first title goes on.

Harmanpreet Singh told ANI after the match: "Our target and focus remained the same: to stay focused for the entire 60 minutes. Regardless of the score, we stuck to the plan we were given." Forward Mandeep Singh said: "It feels great that we have won back-to-back gold medals."

Khel Now reported that the final was the 200th senior international appearance for Hardik Singh, that Harmanpreet Singh was named Hero of the Tournament and finished as its top scorer with 10 goals, taking his career total to 250, and that Krishan Bahadur Pathak was named Goalkeeper of the Tournament. Khel Now also reported that midfielder Nilakanta Sharma played his last international match in the final, and that Hockey India announced a reward of 3 lakh rupees for each player and 1.5 lakh rupees for each member of the support staff.

Earlier on Thursday, Malaysia beat South Korea 5-2 to take the bronze medal. The tournament, the ninth edition of the Asian Champions Trophy, ran from October 27 to November 5, with the league stage in Jalandhar and the semi-finals and medal matches in Mohali.