Asian Champions Trophy: Harmanpreet Singh helps keep India's winning run
The Indian men's hockey team triumphed over Pakistan in a thrilling 2-1 victory during their final group-stage match of the Asian Champions Trophy on September 14. The win was largely due to a stellar performance by skipper Harmanpreet Singh, who scored both goals for India. Despite an early lead by Pakistan's Ahmad Nadeem, India quickly regained control and maintained their unbeaten streak in the tournament. India have won all five of their matches in the round-robin stage.
Harmanpreet's goals secure India's lead
Harmanpreet proved instrumental in turning the tide of the match. After Pakistan's early goal, he swiftly responded with a powerful drag-flick from a penalty corner to level the score. As the second quarter commenced, Harmanpreet struck again from the penalty spot, securing India's lead over their rivals. This was Harmanpreet's second successive brace. He scored two goals versus South Korea before this clash. Harmanpreet has raced to 203 career goals for the Indian hockey team.
Pakistan's defense struggles against India's attack
Pakistan's defense found it challenging to counter India's aggressive forward line. Despite efforts by Nadeem and Ajaz Ahmad to bolster Pakistan's offense, they were unable to break through due to a lack of support. The situation worsened for Pakistan when Abubakar Mahmood was forced off the field with a severe knee injury, further weakening their defense.
India's goalkeeper shines with crucial saves
In the second half of the match, Pakistan showed signs of an offensive resurgence. However, Indian goalkeeper Krishan Kumar Pathak was in top form, making several key saves to maintain India's lead. His most notable moment came late in the third quarter when he executed a double-save from a Pakistan penalty corner, further solidifying India's position in the game.
India maintain their form against Pakistan
Before this 2-1 win, India's recent victories over Pakistan include a 10-2 win at the Hangzhou Asian Games last year and a 4-0 triumph in the previous ACT held in Chennai. They also secured a 1-1 affair at the Asia Cup in Jakarta in 2022 and a thrilling 4-3 victory in the 2021 ACT in Dhaka. These results highlight India's strong performance against their traditional rivals.
India and Pakistan's performance in 2024 ACT
India and Pakistan both qualified for the semi-finals earlier. Having played five matches each, the Indian men's hockey team has maintained a 100% record. India own 15 points with 21 goals scored and four conceded. Pakistan have won two matches in addition to drawing two and losing one. They have scored 12 goals so far in addition to conceding eight. The top four teams in the round-robin group stage will make it to the finals.
