India won their fifth Asian Champions Trophy title with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over hosts China on Tuesday, showing their dominance by winning all their matches in the tournament. Defender Jugraj Singh netted a rare field goal, leading the defending champions to a tough win. Despite intense efforts, the Harmanpreet Singh-led team struggled to break through China’s defense in the first three quarters. Jugraj finally scored in the 51st minute, handing the Paris Olympics bronze medallists the victory against a resilient Chinese team, playing in only their second international tournament final.
China’s last final appearance in an international event was at the 2006 Asian Games, where they finished as runners-up after losing 1-3 to Korea. Earlier that day, Pakistan secured third place with a 5-2 win over Korea in the six-team competition.
India entered the final as favorites
India entered the final as favorites, having defeated China 3-0 in their opening match, but the final proved to be a much tighter contest. Both teams battled fiercely in the first two quarters, with India creating more scoring opportunities. China’s deep defense and quick counterattacks kept India at bay.
Raj Kumar Pal had the first chance for India, but Chinese goalkeeper Wang Weihao saved his shot. Raj Kumar quickly recovered and earned a penalty corner for India in the 10th minute, which led to another set piece, though captain Harmanpreet Singh missed the target on his second attempt. Nilakanta Sharma and Sukhjeet Singh were also denied by Wang’s sharp saves. Just before the end of the first quarter, China earned a penalty corner, but India’s Krishan Bahadur Pathak was alert in goal.
The second quarter unfolded similarly, with India dominating possession while China relied on counterattacks. Sukhjeet Singh earned a penalty corner in the 27th minute, but Harmanpreet’s shot hit the post, leaving the match goalless at halftime.
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China’s renewed attacks
After the break, China came out with renewed energy, launching a series of attacks. They secured a penalty corner in the 38th minute, but India’s defense held firm. China continued to pressure, earning back-to-back penalty corners in the 40th minute, but Pathak remained sharp in goal. Despite India’s young forward line making repeated efforts to penetrate China’s defense, they struggled to score.
Eventually, it was a brilliant move from Harmanpreet that broke the deadlock. He skillfully entered the Chinese circle and passed the ball to Jugraj, who slotted it past the goalkeeper, giving India the crucial lead. In the final moments, with the crowd behind them, China removed their goalkeeper for an extra outfield player, but India controlled possession and defended in numbers to secure the win.
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