India's U-18 Men's Hockey Team Triumphs Over Korea in Asia Cup

India's Impressive Victory

In a commanding performance, the Indian U-18 Men's Hockey Team secured a 4-1 win against Korea during their third Pool A match of the U-18 Asia Cup 2026, held in Kakamigahara, Japan. The goals for India were scored by Captain Ketan Kushwaha (3', 36'), Varinder Singh (5'), and Shahrukh Ali (54'), while Korean captain Yun Jaehyeok netted the sole goal for his team in the 21st minute.

Strong Opening by India

India kicked off the first quarter with vigor, quickly establishing a two-goal advantage. The first penalty corner of the match was awarded to India in the third minute, which they converted into the opening goal. Rahul Yadav delivered a precise pass to Kushwaha (3'), whose initial attempt was blocked by the Korean goalkeeper, but he managed to follow up and score.

Building on this momentum, India struck again in the fifth minute. Gazee Khan displayed excellent awareness by finding Varinder (5') unmarked near the goal, allowing him to finish calmly and double India's lead. Korea attempted to slow the pace for the remainder of the first quarter to regroup.

Korea Narrowing the Gap

The second quarter featured fast-paced action from both teams, yet neither side could create significant scoring opportunities within the circle. In the 21st minute, Korea earned a penalty corner, which was successfully converted by captain Jaehyeok (21'), reducing the deficit before halftime.

Kushwaha's Second Goal

India continued their strong performance into the third quarter, converting another penalty corner in the 36th minute. Although the initial shot was blocked by the Korean defense, Kushwaha (36') capitalized on the loose ball to score his second goal of the match. Both teams earned penalty corners towards the end of the quarter, but neither could convert.

Sealing the Win

In the 53rd minute, Korea nearly equalized when Kim Doyun deflected a shot towards the goal, but Indian goalkeeper Ayush Rajak made a crucial save with his stick.

Just a minute later, India responded with a fourth goal from Shahrukh (54'), who unleashed a powerful shot that sealed the victory for his team.

Current Standings and Upcoming Match

With this victory, India now shares six points with Korea and Japan in Pool A. The top two teams from each pool will advance to the semi-finals. India's next challenge will be against Chinese Taipei on June 3 at 1:30 PM IST in their final Pool A match.