Hulunbuir: Defending champions India came out on top in a hard-fought 1-0 win against China to claim their fifth Hero Asian Champions Trophy hockey title
It was difficult for the Paris Olympic bronze medallist and favourites to break the Chinese defence in the first three quarters.
Eventually, defender Jugraj Singh broke the deadlock as he scored a rare field goal in the 51st minute to hand his team the title.
Earlier in the day, Pakistan defeated Korea 5-2 to claim the third spot in the six-team competition.
With the victory, India was not just able to add to their tally of ACT titles which showcases their dominance in the tournament, but also retain their crown from 2023. The victory has also solidified their position as the most successful team in the tournament’s history.
“This back-to-back triumph echoes their golden run of 2016-2018, showcasing India’s consistent dominance in Asian hockey,” Hockey India said in a post on X.
Despite the win, China had more possession in the match with 66 per cent possession while India just had 34 per cent possession. China also had more penalty corners than India.
