New Delhi: For the last couple of years, the Indian men’s hockey team has been the dominant outfit in Asia. After winning the Asian Champions Trophy undefeated in Chennai last year, skipper Harmanpreet Singh and Co ran through the field to claim gold at the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games, thereby earning a deserved ticket to the Olympics.
The only Asian team in Paris, India held their own against some of the best teams in the world to claim successive Olympic medals for the first time in 52 years.
The world No.5 side resumed after a short break but didn’t lose momentum in the Asian Champions Trophy, clinically winning all five group games of the six-nation tournament in Hulunbuir City, China.
But the last couple of games were slightly different with South Korea and Pakistan raising the tempo, even though the defending champions demonstrated their experience and temperament to eventually come out on top.
After giving India a tough fight in a 1-3 loss, Korea will aim to upstage them in Monday’s semi-finals at the Moqi Training Base. Pakistan face China in the other semis.
It’s been five years since Korea beat India, which took place in the final of the 2019 Sultan Azlan Shah Cup. Since then, the two teams have played five games, two of them drawn and India winning the last three.
In China, Korea have been unpredictable. Barring a 3-2 win against the hosts, the world No.14 drew three and lost one, scraping into the semis in fourth position.
Though they have been scoring regularly with Yang Ji-hun the tournament top-scorer with seven goals – Korea have scored the most goals after leaders India, with 14. Their Achilles heel has been their defence which opposition strikers have exposed as porous.
Yet, Korea can surprise any team on their day. They showed that with an equaliser on the hooter to draw 3-3 against Malaysia, which helped enter the semis. The Indian defence must also watch out and not concede many penalty corners (PC) as Yang is in great form.
India will be clear favourites, having beaten China 3-0, Japan 5-1, Malaysia 8-1, Korea 3-1 and then Pakistan 2-1 to romp into the last four as pool toppers.
Drag-flick star Harmanpreet has been in fine form with five goals – second highest scorer of the tournament – as have been the forwards with India scoring 21 goals in five matches, an average of 4.2 per game.
India’s frontline of Sukhjeet Singh, Abhishek, Uttam Singh, Gurjot Singh and Araijeet Singh Hundal have been brilliant, earning multiple PC chances for the Harmanpreet-led drag-flick group. They have also accounted for the bulk of their goals, scoring 13.
The Indian midfield has put up a fine show with star of the Olympics Raj Kumar Pal scoring his maiden international hat-trick against Malaysia. The seasoned Manpreet Singh, vice-captain Vivek Sagar Prasad and Nilakanta Sharma too have excelled.
The Indian defence has been stout, conceding only four goals with goalkeepers Krishan Bahadur Pathak and Suraj Karkera showing they are ready to take over from where the retired PR Sreejesh left.