In the Hero Asian Champions Trophy Punjab 2026, the Indian men’s hockey team secured an 8-0 victory against South Korea in their final league-stage match on Monday. By registering their fifth consecutive win, the hosts remained undefeated throughout the league stage.
Dilpreet Singh (8′, 40′) scored two goals, while Jugraj Singh (11′), Harmanpreet Singh (15′), Shilanand Lakra (33′), Sukhjeet Singh (34′), Sanjay (36′), and Angad Bir Singh (60′) each contributed one goal. India finished at the top of the points table, having won all five of their matches.
Despite the defeat, Korea finished in fourth place with six points and will face India once again in the semi-finals. In the second semi-final, Japan (who finished second) will take on Malaysia (who finished third). The semi-finals will be held on November 4, and the medal matches will take place on November 5.
On Monday, at the Olympian Surjit Singh Hockey Stadium in Jalandhar, India made an aggressive start. In the fourth minute, Sukhjeet created an opportunity, but his backhand shot was saved by goalkeeper Kim Jae-hyun. In the eighth minute, Dilpreet opened the scoring for India with a backhand shot—a move initiated by an aerial pass from Jugraj. In the 11th minute, India doubled their lead via a penalty corner.
Harmanpreet’s initial attempt was blocked, but on the rebound, Vishnukant Singh directed the ball to Jugraj, who found the back of the net. In the 15th minute, Harmanpreet converted another penalty corner, giving India a 3-0 lead heading into the first break. He currently leads the list of top scorers with nine goals.
In the second quarter, South Korea played better and earned several penalty corners, but the Indian defence prevented them from scoring. In the 27th minute, Pathak made a brilliant save by extending his leg, denying Son Dan a goal in a one-on-one situation. India also had their chances, but a shot by Aditya Arjun Lalage went wide. Another penalty corner was awarded, but the goal was disallowed because the ball had been played with the back of the stick. By half-time, India maintained a three-goal lead.
After the half-time break, India increased the tempo and scored four goals in the third quarter. In the 33rd minute, Shilanand Lakra scored from a penalty corner variation; a pass from Harmanpreet reached Jugraj, whose shot was saved by Kim, but Lakra put the rebound into the net. A minute later, Sukhjit deflected a pass from Aditya into the net from the baseline, extending the lead to 5-0.
In the 36th minute, Sanjay added another goal; after Dilpreet’s shot was saved, Sanjay reacted the quickest to put the ball into the goal. India’s seventh goal came in the 40th minute when Sanjay controlled a long aerial pass from Harmanpreet and struck it towards the goal, with Dilpreet providing a deft touch to guide the ball past the goalkeeper.
In the final quarter, India slowed down the pace of the game. During this period, Korea held possession for some time but failed to create any clear-cut chances. Suraj Karkera made a save during a South Korean attack, while a penalty corner awarded to Korea in the 58th minute yielded no result.
Subsequently, in the 60th minute, Angad Bir Singh scored a brilliant solo goal. They gained possession in the midfield, advanced toward the circle, and slotted the ball into the net—sending it beneath the onrushing goalkeeper—to seal an 8-0 victory. In the final moments, Korea earned another penalty corner but failed to capitalise on it.
Throughout the round-robin stage, India showcased exceptional attacking prowess. The team scored a total of 34 goals across five matches while conceding only five. India finished at the top of the standings with 15 points and a goal difference of +29. Japan secured second place with 10 points, followed by Malaysia with nine points and Korea with six.
