India continued their strong performance at the Asian Champions Trophy, securing a 5-2 victory against a resilient Chinese side in front of a home crowd at the Olympian Surjit Singh Hockey Stadium on Thursday. The win marks the second consecutive triumph for the Indian squad, following their dominant 13-0 opening victory over Bangladesh earlier in the tournament.
The match saw standout performances from captain Harmanpreet Singh and forward Sukhjeet Singh, both of whom registered two goals each to keep the momentum in favour of the hosts. Defender Jugraj Singh also contributed to the scoreboard, rounding out the tally with a successful set-piece conversion. While India maintained control for significant portions of the game, the youthful Chinese team proved to be a challenging opponent, often testing the Indian defensive line and managing to find the back of the net twice during the encounter.
India initiated the scoring in the 13th minute when Sukhjeet broke the deadlock by controlling a long scoop from Jugraj and lifting the ball over Chinese goalkeeper Huanyu Wu. Although India dominated possession in the early stages, the Chinese side held firm until the 26th minute, when Peng Yang successfully converted a penalty corner to equalise. The response from the hosts was swift; just one minute later, Harmanpreet restored India’s lead with a powerful low flick from a penalty corner, allowing the team to head into the half-time interval with a 2-1 advantage.
The second half began with continued intensity, as Harmanpreet extended the lead to 3-1 by converting another penalty corner in the 31st minute. Sukhjeet soon secured his brace in the 34th minute, capitalising on an aerial pass from Harmanpreet that was first controlled by Aditya Arjun Lalage. Despite the deficit, China demonstrated persistence, with Chongcong Chen scoring their second goal in the 36th minute via a penalty corner variation, keeping the pressure on the hosts.
India maintained their composure throughout the final quarter, eventually sealing the result in the 47th minute when Jugraj successfully converted a penalty corner to bring the score to 5-2. Although China attempted to create further chances in the dying minutes, the Indian defence remained disciplined, preventing the visitors from narrowing the gap further.
For China, the match highlighted a need for greater consistency, as they continue to search for their first win in the competition. Having previously lost 4-5 to Malaysia, the Chinese team faced significant defensive challenges against India’s structured attack. Meanwhile, the Indian team’s ability to capitalise on multiple penalty corners proved to be the deciding factor in the outcome of the contest.
With this victory, India has solidified its standing in the tournament as the matches progress. The squad is now set to shift their focus to their upcoming fixture against Japan, which is scheduled for Friday. China, looking to regroup after this loss, is slated to take on South Korea as the tournament continues at the Olympian Surjit Singh Hockey Stadium.
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