Asian Games 2023: In men’s hockey, India has won the Asian title again. India ensured the trajectory has only gone higher with a spectacular performance at the Asian Games in Hangzhou after getting the bronze at the Tokyo Olympics.
Qualified for Paris Olympics:
In the men’s hockey championship game on Friday, October 6, Harmanpreet Singh’s team smashed 2018 champions Japan 5-1 to take home the gold medal. More significantly, India secured a spot at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Paris, skipping the lengthy travel time.
Only the men’s and women’s hockey gold medal winners at the Asian Games are guaranteed an Olympic spot, and the Indian team made sure they did it with a dominant performance that new coach Craig Fulton will be proud of.
In addition, it was India’s fourth gold medal in men’s hockey at the Asian Games after victories in 1966, 1998, and 2014. In the Asian Games in Jakarta four years ago, India came in third.
Second place in men’s hockey medal standings
India has equaled South Korea for second place in the men’s hockey medal standings at the Asian Games with 4 gold medals. Pakistan has won nine gold medals at the Asian Games, making them the most successful men’s team.
India was very confident going into the final against the defending champions Japan because they had defeated them earlier in the tournament. India defeated Korea 5-3 in a tough test in the semifinals, and their confidence could be seen in their poise.
Japan was concentrated on parking the bus and stopping India from taking the initiative. As the score stayed 0-0 at the end of the first quarter, they were successful with their strategy.
Highlights of game:
In the fifteenth minute, Surjeet tapped one into the goal, but the official did not award an advantage for a foul inside the D and instead awarded India a penalty corner, which they were unable to convert.
Likewise, Japan maintained its defensive composure in the second frame. Manpreet Singh, though, saw to it that India took the lead via a field goal and went into halftime leading 1-0. With Manpreet’s reverse strike that soared into the goal, India now has the necessary cushion to put the Japanese to further test.
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