Did India Manage to Secure a Win Against Korea in Super 4s?

Rajgir, Sep 3 (NationPress) The Indian men’s hockey team's impressive journey in the Men’s Asia Cup Rajgir 2025 met an unexpected hurdle on Wednesday when they faced Korea, resulting in a 2-2 draw during their initial Super 4s encounter. Hardik Singh (8') and Mandeep Singh (53') found the back of the net for India, while Jihun Yang (12') and Hyeon Hong Kim (14') scored for Korea, compelling India to settle for a single point after leading the league table with three consecutive wins.

The match commenced after a brief rain delay, with India displaying a promising start in the slippery conditions, making numerous circle entries and launching aggressive attacks. However, the top-ranked team in the tournament fell short against Korea, who had previously secured the second position in Pool B behind Malaysia.

In another Super 4 match on the same day, Malaysia maintained their flawless tournament record, achieving a 2-0 victory over China.

In a contest for the 5th-6th place, Japan triumphed over Chinese Taipei with a score of 2-0, thanks to Shinohara Ryosuke, who netted both goals.

India kicked off the game with two early penalty corners in the second and seventh minutes; however, they struggled to pose a significant threat to the Korean goalkeeper. In the eighth minute, Sukhjeet Singh seized the ball in midfield and passed it to Hardik Singh (8'), who executed a remarkable solo run through the Korean defense, finishing with a simple shot to score the opening goal.

Korea responded swiftly, netting two consecutive goals to take the lead. In the 12th minute, they were awarded a penalty stroke due to a foul by Jugraj Singh in the circle. Jihun Yang (12') confidently converted the stroke, finding the top right corner with a powerful shot. Just two minutes later, Korea was awarded a penalty corner, successfully converted by Hyeon Hong Kim (14') with a drag flick.

The second quarter was tightly contested, with India aggressively pursuing goals, yet Korea's defense remained unyielding. Despite mounting pressure, India struggled to navigate Korea's effective man-marking. In the 22nd minute, Captain Harmanpreet Singh attempted a long pass to Jarmanpreet Singh on the right flank, but the Korean goalkeeper thwarted his angled shot with a solid save.

The third quarter concluded with Korea maintaining their slim lead. India created several opportunities within the circle, but a goal remained elusive. In the 41st minute, Manpreet Singh delivered a precise pass to Sukhjeet Singh, who was one-on-one with the goalkeeper but shot narrowly wide. Shortly after, Abhishek was presented with two scoring chances, both of which missed the target. At the end of the third quarter, India earned a penalty corner, but Harmanpreet Singh's drag flick was blocked by a Korean defender.

India secured another penalty corner in the 49th minute, but Jugraj Singh failed to beat the first rusher. Moments later, Mandeep Singh made a strong back-handed shot after cutting into the circle, yet the Korean goalkeeper made another remarkable save.

In the 53rd minute, Sukhjeet Singh delivered a perfect pass through the Korean defense to Mandeep Singh (53'), who calmly slotted the ball into an open net, leveling the score. Both teams had penalty corner opportunities afterward but could not secure a winning goal. In the 56th minute, Abhishek set up a chance for Sukhjeet Singh with a lobbed pass, but his shot narrowly missed the post as the match concluded in a draw after an intensely competitive four quarters.

Next up, India will face Malaysia in the Super 4s Pool stage on Thursday.