Did India Secure Their Fourth Men's Asia Cup Title with a 4-1 Win Over Korea and Qualification for the 2026 World Cup?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- India secured their fourth Hockey Men's Asia Cup title.
- Dominant performance with a 4-1 victory over South Korea.
- Qualification for the World Cup in Belgium and the Netherlands.
- Unbeaten streak throughout the tournament.
- Strong leadership under Harmanpreet Singh.
Rajgir, Sep 7 (NationPress) India has claimed their fourth Hockey Men's Asia Cup title with an impressive 4-1 victory against South Korea in the final held in Rajgir, Bihar, on Sunday. This win signifies India’s first continental championship in eight years and guarantees their spot in the upcoming World Cup scheduled for next year in Belgium and the Netherlands.
Sukhjeet Singh, Dilpreet Singh, and Amit Rohidas each contributed to the goal tally for the hosts, with Dilpreet netting two goals. Although Korea’s Son Dain managed to find the net in the final quarter, it was insufficient to challenge India's strong performance. Jugraj Singh almost extended the lead but his penalty shot was saved.
This victory wrapped up a fantastic tournament for India, who approached the final full of confidence after a dominant 7-0 win against China in the Super 4s. This match highlighted their offensive prowess, with Abhishek scoring twice and other players like Shilanand Lakra, Dilpreet Singh, Mandeep Singh, Raj Kumar Pal, and Sukhjeet Singh also contributing to the scoreline.
India maintained an unbeaten streak throughout the tournament, achieving five wins and one draw. Under Harmanpreet Singh’s captaincy, India showcased their strength in the pool stage with three consecutive victories. Their strong performance continued in the Super 4s with decisive wins over Malaysia (4-1) and China (7-0), alongside a 2-2 draw against South Korea.
This achievement marks India’s fourth win in the Asia Cup, adding to their previous triumphs in 2003, 2007, and 2017. South Korea holds the record for the most titles in the competition's history with five championships, earned in 1994, 1999, 2009, 2013, and 2022.
With their qualification for next year's tournament in Belgium and the Netherlands from August 14 to 30, 2026, India will be striving for a podium finish.
Since their title win in 1975, India’s best results at the Men’s Hockey World Cup have been two fifth-place finishes, which occurred in 1982 and 1994.
The Indian team has participated in all 15 editions of the tournament to date, including the latest event held in 2023 in Bhubaneswar and Rourkela.