Vice-captain Harmanpreet Singh made a brace as Olympic bronze medalist India beat arch-rivals Pakistan 3-1 to register a second successive win and qualify for the semi-finals of the Asian Champions Trophy men’s hockey tournament in Dhaka on Friday.
Harmanpreet (8th, 53rd) converted two penalty corners, while comeback Akashdeep Singh, who could not make it to the Tokyo Olympic squad, found his second goal of the tournament in the 42nd minute with a field effort.
main characteristics: Men’s Asian Champions Trophy 2021, India vs Pakistan
Junaid Manzoor scored the only goal for Pakistan in the 45th minute.
It was India’s second win in the tournament after thrashing hosts Bangladesh 9–0, while Pakistan were still undefeated, having drawn a goalless draw against Japan in their opening match.
India had earlier played out a 2-2 draw against Korea in their first match of the tournament.
India are currently at the top of the points table with seven points from three matches and will take on Japan in their last round-robin match of the five-team tournament on Sunday.
Meanwhile, Pakistan have just one point from two matches.
India and Pakistan were joint winners in the final edition of the tournament in Muscat, when they lost in the final.
The Indians were completely dominant in the first two quarters while Pakistan preferred to sit at the back. But he made a brilliant defense except for Harmanpreet’s lone strike.
Most of the game in the first two quarters was on Pakistan’s half as the Indians worked hard from the start and created some chances but the credit must go to goalkeeper Mazar Abbas who was brilliant overall.
But it was expected that India took the lead in the eighth minute when Harmanpreet converted the team’s first penalty corner with a powerful low flick to the left of the Pakistan goalkeeper.
Four minutes later, captain Manpreet Singh’s deflection from outside the circle was saved by a cautious Abbas.
The second quarter continued in the same manner as India made several incursions but Pakistan’s defense was up to the task.
While Pakistan’s defense stood out, the team’s forward line looked ineffective as it failed to register a single shot on goal or secure a penalty corner.
Leading 1-0 at half time, the Indians kept the pressure on Pakistan’s goal and extended their lead in the 42nd minute when Akashdeep slapped Sumit’s drive with a reverse hit from the left flank.
But the fighting Pakistanis didn’t give up hope and took their game from here, narrowing the gap to 27 seconds from the end of the third quarter, via a diving deflection from Manzoor’s Abdul Rana.
If the first three quarters belonged to India, Pakistan gave Manpreet and his men a run for their money in the final quarter, producing exciting hockey till the end.
Buoyed by the goal, Pakistan went on the offensive and secured their first penalty corner of the tournament in the 47th minute, which was dismissed after India were asked for a referral.
Pakistan did not lose hope and continued to work hard and bagged two more penalty corners, but young Indian mentor Suraj Karkera made two brilliant saves to keep his team’s lead.
In between, India got their second penalty corner and once again Harmanpreet got the right recognition with her drag-flick.
India earned another penalty corner in just three minutes from the final hooter but Varun Kumar’s effort was saved by the Pakistan goalkeeper.
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