ISLAMABAD (APP) - The Hero Asian Champions Trophy 2024 witnessed gripping action as Korea, Malaysia, India and China fought fiercely in the league stage on Saturday at the Moqi Hockey Training Base.
The matches set the stage for an electrifying semifinal lineup, with India remaining unbeaten, Korea and Malaysia sharing points in a dramatic draw, and China securing their place in the semis with a spirited 2-0 win over Japan.
In another dramatic encounter, Korea and Malaysia battled to a 3-3 draw in a high-octane contest. Both teams fought till the last second to stay in contention for the semifinals, with Korea snatching a last-minute goal to deny Malaysia a victory.
Malaysia took the lead through goals by Azrai Abu Kamal (28′), Norsyafiq Sumantri (35′), and Faizal Saari (55′), but Korea’s resilient attack, led by Yang Jihun, who scored twice (4′, 60+), and Cheoleon Park (42′), ensured a split of the points. Malaysia dominated much of the game, firing 13 shots in the opening quarter, but it was Korea who capitalized on their opponents’ defensive errors to stay in the match.
Reflecting on the game, Malaysia’s skipper Marhan Jalil, who was named Hero of the Match, said, “It was unfortunate that we conceded a last-second goal, but we’ll look forward to giving it our all in the semis.”
Korea’s late equalizer pushed them to No. 4 in the points table, setting up a semifinal clash with India, while Malaysia’s hopes now rest on the classification matches.
In the most anticipated match of the day, the Indian Men’s Hockey Team edged out Pakistan 2-1.
Captain Harmanpreet Singh led from the front, scoring a crucial brace in the 13th and 19th minutes, while Pakistan’s Ahmad Nadeem had given his team an early lead with a goal in the 8th minute. The tempo remained high throughout the match, with Pakistan creating several half-chances and earning penalty corners, but India’s defense, led by goalkeeper Krishan Pathak, held firm.
A missed penalty corner from Pakistan’s Sufiyan Khan just before halftime kept India’s 2-1 lead intact, and they maintained their advantage despite relentless Pakistani pressure in the second half.
Nilakanta Sharma, Hero of the Match, emphasized the team’s need for improvement, saying, “Although we won, we kept losing the ball and it got us in trouble. We need to protect the ball better going forward.”
India now advances to the semifinals, where they will face Korea on Monday.
The home crowd in Moqi celebrated a vital 2-0 victory for China, which saw the spirited team climb to No. 3 in the standings, securing their spot in the semifinals. Goals by Benhai Chen (7′) and Jieming Chao (25′) delivered a well-earned win for China, who now prepares to face Pakistan in the first semifinal on Monday.
China’s defensive strength shone throughout the match, with goalie Caiyu Wang making several crucial saves, especially in the third quarter when Japan earned multiple penalty corners but failed to convert. Japan’s attackers mounted pressure, but China held their nerve to come away with three points.
Hero of the Match Benhai Chen said, “We did a lot of preparation and definitely wanted to win today and make the semifinals. Now we’ll focus on preparing for Pakistan.”