India Dominates South Korea to Reach Asian Champions Trophy Final

India's Commanding Victory Sets Up Final Against Japan

In a stunning display, defending champions India showcased their prowess in the Asian Champions Trophy by defeating South Korea 8-1, paving their way to a final showdown with Japan.

Japan advanced to the final after triumphing over Malaysia in a tense shootout during the first semifinal.

India faced minimal resistance from Korea in their last group-stage encounter in Jalandhar, which they won 8-0, and the semifinal proved to be a one-sided affair. From the very start, it was evident that the Indian team was ready to dominate, displaying sharpness, organization, and a clear attacking intent.

The scoring began early, with Shilanand Lakra netting the first goal just four minutes into the match, eliciting cheers from the hundreds of schoolchildren present in the half-filled stadium.

Korea managed to equalize briefly with a deflected goal from Sangjun Han five minutes later, momentarily quieting the crowd. However, captain Harmanpreet Singh quickly restored India's lead just seconds after.

The Korean goal ignited an Indian offensive, leading to quick successive goals from Lakra (13th minute), Sukhjeet Singh (21st), and Dilpreet Singh (21st and 25th), giving India a commanding 6-1 lead at halftime.

Despite their comfortable lead, India maintained their aggressive approach, continuing to press high and mark tightly, as coach Craig Fulton seemed eager to further challenge his team. Angad Bir Singh added another goal in the 36th minute.

The halftime break disrupted India's rhythm, turning the match into a frantic back-and-forth contest. While Korea pushed forward, India created numerous opportunities but missed several. Vivek Sagar Prasad finally added to the tally in the 54th minute, ensuring India's place in their third consecutive final.

Sukhjeet remarked, “We were eager to start strong since it was the semifinal. We aimed to capitalize on our chances, and fortunately, we scored a few goals early on and kept pushing for more.”

Earlier, Japan narrowly defeated Asian Games finalists Malaysia 5-3 in a shootout after a goalless draw in regular time.

Malaysia dominated possession but struggled to convert it into clear scoring chances, despite earning five penalty corners. Their discipline faltered, leading to four cards that allowed Japan to regain momentum.

Japan capitalized on a moment when Malaysia was reduced to 10 players for five minutes due to a yellow card, but they too failed to secure a goal despite putting pressure on Malaysia.

The shootout was ultimately decided by a single miss, as Faizal Saari failed to convert Malaysia's first attempt. They could not recover from this early setback, while Japan scored confidently against Malaysian goalkeeper Hafizuddin Othman, who failed to apply pressure on the shooters.