Asian Champions Trophy: India breach wall of China to lift fifth title

Harmanpreet-led India manage to prevail 1-0 over valiant China
If there was an award for the most improved team in the Asian Champions Trophy hockey, China would have won it hands down. The hosts had lost 0-3 to India in a league game but came into their maiden final with purpose and a precise game plan. It caught India, the defending champions, off-guard.
This was India's fifth ACT title in the eight editions of the trophy, the other three being won by Pakistan (two) and South Korea.The tournament began in 2011.
The Olympic bronze medallists had 26 goals in six matches in the run-up to the title contest but were tied down by man-to-man marking from the home side and superb goalkeeping by Weihao Wang. Eventually, unheralded Jugraj Singh turned hero for the defending champions, breaking through a resolute Chinese defence to score the only goal of the contest in the 51st minute.

DRAG-FLICKER JUGRAJ SCORES RARE FIELD GOAL
The irony at the Moqi Hockey Training Base in Hulunbuir, China, on Tuesday night was that a player known for his drag flicking skills hammered home a rare field goal to ensure India successfully retained the title. Jugraj's skill in converting penalty corners was never in doubt. It was his defending that was suspect, and it cost him a spot in the Paris Olympics squad. At the ACT, the 28-year-old who made his India debut in 2022, came through as a much-improved player.
And yet it was the effervescence of skipper Harmanpreet Singh that set up the winner. Harmanpreet, deservingly named player of the tournament, whizzed past a battery of Chinese defenders on the left and the overload ensured space for Jugraj, whose clean collection near the post translated into a goal.
Although India possessed more of the ball, for the first time in the tournament they went into half-time without a goal to their credit. While goalkeepers Krishan Pathak and Suraj Karekra ensured a clean sheet by keeping out rare shots on goal from the Chinese, it was the home team's defence that the Indians struggled to break down.
Like the Great Wall's weathered bricks, China displayed amazing endurance. India's Abhishek, Vivek Sagar Prasad, Sukhjeet Singh and the sturdy Nilakanta Sharma mounted early attacks but the Chinese easily broke them down with sheer numbers in the circle. Two penalty corners came India's way in the first quarter, but neither bore fruit.

India could have taken the lead before half-time but ran into a resolute Wang. The goalkeeper showcased admirable timing and reflexes as he thwarted shots from Nilakanta and Sukhjeet. The Indian strikers were also guilty of not working as a unit inside the circle. Although India dropped intensity in the third quarter, towards the business end of the match, they picked up pace, especially in the backline.
China, who entered the final on the back of a shootout win against Pakistan on Monday, pulled out goalkeeper Wang with 4.5 minutes left on the clock. They chased the elusive equaliser till the last moment, but India packed their fortress and ensured no breaches.