India defeated Malaysia by 4-3 to clinch the Asian Champions Trophy 2023 at the Mayor Radhakrishnan Hockey Stadium on August 12, Saturday. This is the fourth championship triumph in the prestigious tournament for India, which includes a shared trophy with Pakistan in 2018.
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Notably, in the first quarter of the pulsating Asian Champions Trophy final, Malaysia started on the front foot, with better-quality of attacks in the opposition’s final third. But against the run of play, Team India found a penalty corner thanks to the local boy Karthi Selvam, who was fouled in the circle by Azuan Hasan.
It led to Jugraj Singh finding a thunderous drag flick into the left corner of the goal to put Team India in the lead in the 9th minute. But at the end of the first quarter, Kamal Azrai levelled the score for the Malaysians, thanks to a brilliant assist from Azuan Hasan in the 14th minute.
The second quarter started badly for the Indians as Gurjant Singh received a green card for two minutes. It led to Fitri Saari taking full advantage, securing a penalty corner for Malaysia after finding the foot of Sumit, which was converted by Razie Rahim, the second time of asking in the 18th minute, to give visitors a 2-1 lead in the Asian Champions Trophy final.
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Then, in the 28th minute, Muhamad Aminudin converted a penalty corner, hitting the ball roof of the net with a thunderous drag flick, to make it a 3-1 scoreline in favour of Malaysia, going into half-time.
India started the proceedings far better in the third quarter, putting the Malaysian defence under constant pressure. The results showed at the end of the third quarter, in the 45th minute, with the captain Harmanpreet Singh finishing off a penalty stroke, followed by a field goal from Gurjant Singh second later, levelling the score at 3-3.
In the final quarter, Akashdeep Singh scored the championship-winning goal for the hosts, after Mandeep Singh assisted him in the 56th minute of the match.
