Asian Champions Trophy 2018: India end the pool stage with 4-1 win over South Korea
The Indian men’s team ended the pool stage with a convincing 4-1 win over South Korea played at Muscat, Oman on Thursday. It was a good performance by the Indian team who played with aggression and dominated the Korean team.
India earned a penalty corner in the 4th minute and Harmanpreet Singh converted penalty corner into a goal to give the team 1-0 lead. The Indian team played well as they kept attacking the Korean defence. Akashdeep Singh missed a great chance of scoring a field goal as the ball went over the goal post. In the 10th minute, Gurjant Singh doubled India’s lead with a brilliant field goal. At the end of the first quarter India led 2-0.
The second quarter was much better for the Koreans. In the 20th minute, Lee Seungil scored a brilliant field goal which went past India’s goalkeeper P Sreejesh to make it 1-2 in favour of India. Korea continued their aggressive intent and put pressure on the Indian defence. At the end of the first half, India led 2-1.
At the starting of the third quarter, the Korean team was denied a goal. Korea earned a penalty corner in the 35th minute but the Indian defence was solid. The Korean team attacked the Indian defence but could not score goals. At the end of the third quarter, the scores still remained 2-1.
In the 47th minute, India earned a penalty corner and Harmanpreet Singh converted it into a goal to give a 3-1 lead to India. The Koreans tried their best to put one goal back but Krishna Pathak saved a good goal in the 53rd minute. In the next minute, Korea earned a penalty corner, but the Indian goalkeeper saved it again. Harmanpreet Singh scored a hattrick with a brilliant penalty corner goal in the 59th minute to give India a lead of 4-1 which was the scoreline at the end of the game.
With this win, India end the pool stage with 13 points. India will take on Japan in the semi-finals on 27th October.