India beat South Korea 8-1 to reach Asian Champions Trophy final, meet Japan in Mohali on 5 November

India need one more win to keep the Asian Champions Trophy and make it six titles. The defending champions beat South Korea 8-1 in the semi-final at Mohali’s Olympian Balbir Singh Senior International Hockey Stadium on Wednesday, 4 November, two days after an 8-0 league win over the same side in Jalandhar.

Korea were level only briefly. Shilanand Lakra gave India an early lead, Han Sangjun deflected in an equaliser, and India were ahead again moments later when captain Harmanpreet Singh scored from a penalty corner pushed out by Hardik Singh. It was his tenth goal of the tournament. Lakra then pounced on a rebound after another corner, and India led 3-1 after the first quarter.

Six goals by half-time

The second quarter settled the tie. Sukhjeet Singh brought down a deflected pass from Sanjay and drove it in, and India scored again almost at once through Dilpreet Singh, who finished a move he had started by winning the ball. Dilpreet added his second from a long Harmanpreet pass, and India went in at the break 6-1 up.

Korea played part of the third quarter a man short after their captain was shown a yellow card, and a brief floodlight failure halted play soon after the restart. Angad Bir Singh then deflected in a cross from Jarmanpreet Singh for the seventh goal. Vivek Sagar Prasad made it 8-1 in the 50th minute with a solo goal, and Dilpreet Singh was named Player of the Match. The final against Japan starts at 7 pm IST on Thursday, 5 November, Hockey India said. Suraj Karkera started in goal and Krishan Pathak replaced him in the second quarter.

Japan through on penalties

Japan will be the opponents in the final. Earlier on Wednesday, they drew 0-0 with Malaysia over 60 minutes and won the shootout 5-3. Malaysia coach Brendon Carolan said his side earned five penalty corners to Japan’s one and could not turn them into goals.

India beat Japan 4-1 in the league stage on Friday, 30 October. The final is on Thursday, 5 November, in Mohali, where Malaysia and Korea meet earlier in the day for the bronze medal.