Displaying a style of hockey that has catapulted them into the ranks of medal contenders globally, the Indian men’s hockey team secured the gold medal at the Asian Games, beating Japan 5-1. This marked their fourth gold in 19 Asian Games editions and reaffirmed their dominance in the continent.
Their consistent performance earned them a coveted spot in the 2024 Paris Olympics, making them the fourth team, alongside France, the Netherlands, and Australia, to secure their berths.
In the final against Japan, India’s victory came courtesy of skipper Harmanpreet Singh’s two goals (32nd, 59th minutes), complemented by strikes from Manpreet Singh (25th min), Amit Rohidas (36th min), and Abhishek (48th min). Japan managed a lone consolation goal from Seren Tanaka via an indirect penalty corner in the 51st minute.
This win marked India’s fourth gold in the Asian Games, following previous victories in 1966, 1998, and 2014, in addition to nine silver and three bronze medals.
With four gold medals, India joined South Korea as the second-most successful team in Asian Games men’s hockey, trailing only Pakistan, which boasts eight gold medals.
The match began with both teams struggling to assert dominance, with Japan putting up a strong defense. India had a few opportunities, including their first penalty corner, but Japan’s goalkeeper Tukumi Kitagawa thwarted Harmanpreet’s drag flick.
The second quarter saw India’s continued efforts to break through Japan’s defense, but their attempts remained unsuccessful.
Five minutes before halftime, India found the breakthrough. Former captain Manpreet Singh capitalized on an attack, firing a powerful reverse-hit shot to open the scoring.
After halftime, India earned three consecutive penalty corners, and from the third, Harmanpreet Singh converted a rebound to extend the lead to 2-0.
India’s attacking momentum continued, and they secured another penalty corner in the 36th minute. Amit Rohidas powered home a direct drag flick to make it 3-0.
Despite the three-goal lead, India maintained pressure on Japan’s defense, not allowing any room for a comeback.
Abhishek, who had scored twice against Japan in the group stage, made it 4-0 with a blistering shot past the goalkeeper.
Japan managed to score their first goal from a penalty corner in the 51st minute, reducing the deficit to 4-1.
India added a fifth goal in the 59th minute when Harmanpreet Singh converted a drag flick.
This victory marked India’s most significant win in an Asian Games men’s hockey final, securing gold without the need for a tie-breaker.
