AICHI, Japan (TIP): India completed its first-ever “double” in 44 years of the Asian Games Hockey competition, defeating Malaysia in an action-packed final at Gifu’s Green Stadium on Saturday. Yesterday, India edged out Olympic silver medalist China to win its first gold in 44 years, since the 1982 New Delhi Asian Games.
Skipper Harmanpreet led the team by scoring the first and fifth goals, while Jugraj Singh, Hardik Singh and Shilanand Lakra contributed a goal apiece to make it 5-1, while Shello Silverius reduced the margin.
By winning the continental championship titles here, both Indian teams have earned direct entry to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games. Incidentally, the win of the men’s team got India its 21st gold medal of the Games, making the country the most successful nation in winning “doubles” in hockey, cricket, and kabaddi.
Earlier in the day, India completed its double in cricket as well, defeating neighbors and arch-rival Pakistan in a tall-scoring final. India dismissed Pakistan for 192 in response to its target of 211 for 9.
Though India fell short of its previous games’ aggregate of medals, it ended with 21 gold,27 silver and 37 bronze medals to finish overall fourth in the tally with an aggregate of 85. China finished at the top with 340 medals, including 168 gold, while hosts Japan came next with 266 medals with 83 gold medals. Korea was the third contingent to have a tally of more than 100 medals, as it ended with 149 with 38 gold.
India started on an aggressive note by mounting pressure from the word go. In the 11th minute, when it forced its first penalty corner, all eyes were on skipper Harmanpreet, who, after the first intake that saw the ball not being stopped neatly, attempted a shot at the goal, yielding the second penalty corner. This time Harmanpreet found the target.
Indian joy was, however, short-lived as Malaysia in a concerted counter move saw Shello Silverius restoring parity that had the entire Indian defense caught on the wrong foot.
The first quarter saw the two teams locked in a 1-1 stalemate.
Malaysian aggression continued into the second half as it forced a penalty corner in the 17th minute. Jerky clearance led to the Malaysian defense for VR and the award of the second penalty corner that followed the third before the Indian defense finally managed to clear the danger.
Playing its third Asian Games final, Malaysia was more purposeful and organized in its attacks. Indian players quickly adapted to the strategy their opponents had adopted in run-and-drill tactics.
India forced its third penalty corner in the 18th minute, but once again failure to stop the ball clearly led to the wastage of this chance. Four minutes later, when India got its fourth penalty corner, Jugraj Singh came to try his drag flick. His powerful grounder sounded the boards to put India ahead (2-1) again.
When the teams broke for half time, India was ahead 2-1.
At the start of the second half, Indian defense looked more focused and better organized as it started asserting its supremacy aggressively. When India got its fifth penalty corner, Jugraj Singh’s powerful lift went over the crossbar.
India, continuing with its offensive, had a couple of penalty corners before one such award caught a Malaysian defender on the goal line, leading to the award of a penalty stroke. The award was upheld by VR after Malaysians wanted a review. Hardik Singh made no mistake from the resultant stroke to put India ahead 3-1.
India 3-1 at the end of quarter 3.
Malaysians appeared to be succumbing to mounting pressure on their goal. Their initial enthusiasm started vanishing. Midway in the fourth quarter, India again forced a series of penalty corners with Amit Rohidas and Jugraj taking chances. Jugraj tried an indirect free kick but remained unsuccessful. In the 54th minute, India finally put its act together to see Shilanand Lakra hoisting its fourth goal to make the score 4-1.
Two minutes later, India, in a rare tactic, had only one pair to take its 14th penalty corner, from which skipper Harmanpreet Singh made no mistake with a rising shot into the net to make the score 5-1.
Malaysia thus failed with its third successive attempt at the Asian Games hockey gold. And for India, Manpreet Singh became the only Indian player to win three Asian Games gold medals.
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