Asian Champions Trophy: India runs through Korean challenge for its 4th win
Asian Champions Trophy: India runs through Korean challenge for its 4th win Defending champion India ran through a spirited challenge put up by former Asian champion South Korea to record its fourth win in the Asian Champions Trophy in Muscat on Wednesday. The win, 4-1, helps India retain its number one position in the six-nation tournament. The credit for today's win goes to young drag flicker and defender Harmanpreet Singh, who scored his first hat trick of the tournament to richly deserve the man of the match award. Also Read: India held to a goalless draw by Malaysia in Asian Champions Trophy Harmanpreet scored the first, third and fourth goals for his team. Though the South Koreans put up a splendid fight and kept the fast moving Indian forward line in check with tight man to man marking, yet could not prevent conceding penalty corners, India got four penalty corners and Harmanpreet had lethal strikes from three of them starting with the first one in the fifth minute and the last in the 59th minute. Had Koreans been little more accurate and lucky, they could have forced a draw if not a win. Earlier, Asian Games champions Japan held Pakistan to 1-1 draw. Both the goals were scored in the first half. While Japan scored a field goal, Pakistan puled one back with a penalty corner conversion. The Indian-Korean match was played a fast pace. It was perhaps the best match the Koreans have played in the current tournament. With just one win, the Koreans and the hosts Oman are out of contention for a berth in the semis. India started well and after taking lead through Harmanpreet's goal in the fifth minute looked like running with yet another big win. Before the end of the first quarter, the defending champions consolidated the lead with a good field goal by Gurjant Singh. However, in the second quarter, a rejuvenated South Koreans not only had the Indian forward line in check with tight marking but also made deep inroads into Indian defence, picking holes with some brilliant interceptions and patching on poor or feeble clearances and passes.Their efforts bore fruit in the 20th minute when Lee Seungil scored. Also Read: Penalty corner conversions help Olympic champions draw with Holland Immediately after change of ends, Korea almost got the equaliser. However, its effort was nullified by the video referee who held that since the ball was not moved five metres from free hit, the award was unjust. India added two more goals in the fourth quarter to make the margin convincing and safe. -PTC NEWS
