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Asian Champions Trophy Final, India vs Malaysia Preview: India will be gunning for glory against Malaysia in the final of the Asian Champions Trophy in Chennai on Saturday. If India win, they will become the most successful team in tournament history with four titles. India come into the title clash without a blemish as they’ve won all their matches in the competition, finishing top of the points table. In the semi-final, on Friday, India thumped Japan 5-0 to make the gold medal match. India have progressed to their fifth final in seven appearances, winning in 2011 and 2016 and sharing the trophy with Pakistan in 2018. They are the joint-most successful team in the competition history with Pakistan. Malaysia finished second in the points table with four wins and a loss - with their only defeat came at the hands of India. In the last-four clash, they also registered a convincing win - beating defending champions Korea 6-2. It is Malaysia’s first final of the Asian Champions Trophy. Harmanpreet Singh is the leading scorer in the tournament with eight goals. Malaysia’s top-scorer is Firhan Ashari with four goals.
Asian Champions Trophy Final Highlights: India beat Malaysia 4-3 to win fourth title
Asian Champions Trophy Hockey Final: India came from 3-1 down to beat Malaysia 4-3 and clinch their fourth regional title in Chennai.
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The game in numbers
India beat Malaysia 4-3 to win Asian Champions Trophy
???????? India come from 3-1 down to score three goals in the space of 11 minutes to beat ???????? Malaysia 4-3 and win the Asian Champions Trophy for a record fourth time!
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2016 ????
2018 ????
2023 ????
India vs Malaysia Live
Sukhjeet Singh’s tomahawk from the top of the circle is pushed away by Othman. with a minute to go, Malaysia is going to play with 11 outfield players (10 now as a player serves suspension) and have taken Othman off
INDIA LEAD!
Akashdeep Singh puts India ahead in the 56th minute! He’s missed couple of chances tonight but not this time. Sukhjeet surges after winning the ball, plays it to Mandeep who in turn sets up Akashdeep. The shot is sent cracking to the right of the goal! India 4-3 Malaysia
India vs Malaysia Live
55’ Another penalty corner for India! Karthi’s pass down the right hits a Malaysia foot and the ball goes astray which is why advantage is not played. Harmanpreet with another attempt, as the second battery this time, but the shot is wide!
India vs Malaysia Live
54’ PC for India! Shamsher with brilliant dribbling to earn a penalty corner. Harmanpreet Singh with the drag flick and it is stopped by Othman. Been all Malaysia’s goalie in this last quarter
India vs Malaysia Live
51’ Excellent reverse hit from Karthi to try and find a fellow blue shirt in the circle but Othman with a smart save to keep the ball out. A second later, Sukhjeet is denied by Othman. This was a one-on-one and that was a glorious chance for India to lead!
India vs Malaysia Live
50’ PC for Malaysia! Muhajir Abdu with the circle entry and Hardik Singh errs to see the ball hit his foot. Amit Rohidas, who else, to squeeze out the space with a perfect rush
India vs Malaysia Live
49’ Manpreet Singh has the time and the space to penetrate in the Malaysia box but he assumed there was more than possible. The ball is taken away from him and a possibly good attack comes to nothing
Fourth quarter underway
Malaysia are down to 10 men after a push into the back by Fitri Saari
India vs Malaysia Live
44’ Gurjant Singh equalises for India! Lucky for India as the ball comes off to Gurjant who has one shot and another to squeeze the ball through. India are level! India 3-3 Malaysia
India vs Malaysia Live
44’ PENALTY STROKE TO INDIA! Harmanpreet Singh steps up and converts from the dead ball. The shot is into the top corner and India are now one goal adrift. India 2-3 Malaysia!
India vs Malaysia Live
43’ On the PC, the shot is blocked by the first rusher. India run forward for the counter-attack and the ball is moved along swiftly with Malaysia struggling to play catch-up. Hardik and Akashdeep exchange the ball and the latter takes a shot which is well over the goal. Seconds later, India have another shy at the goal and this too is gone over
India vs Malaysia Live
43’ Abu Kamal Azrai with a gorgeous run to beat multiple India players and then appeals that the final block came from Amit Rohidas’ foot. Malaysia win a penalty corner. Perfect referral!
India vs Malaysia Live
41’ Opportunity for India but the ball through from Mandeep is saved by Malaysia keeper Othman. That was a good chance for India after a ball over the defence by Harmanpreet. Jarmanpreet with a flat slap ball a moment later for Akashdeep but the mistrap takes the ball away. Could have been something
India vs Malaysia Live
40’ Akashdeep Singh with the turn and bangs the board but the goal does not stand. Umpire sees an infringement in the Malaysia box and the scoreline remains unchanged
India vs Malaysia Live
37’ Abu Kamal Azrai with a no-look shot with his back towards the India goal but he misses the swing completely
India vs Malaysia Live
36’ Karthi Selvam wins India a penalty corner. Stick challenge from behind by Malaysia and Selvam rides it to earn a PC. Jugraj Singh’s drag flick is wide as he looked to go into the left corner
India vs Malaysia Live
34’ Akashdeep with the mistrap and it allows Malaysia to attack and breathe after India started this half all guns blazing. But Malaysia with a turnover of their own to keep it momentary
India vs Malaysia Live
33’ Shamsher Singh with a run down the right, plays the ball into the area but the Malaysia player is first to it except it is dangerously raised. PC for India! The first rusher deflects the ball off the India stick. Malaysia refer that it didn’t get a foot and they’re right. Long corner for India
India vs Malaysia Live
With Najib on the sidelines serving a two minute suspension, the third quarter gets underway and India are immediately on attack. A surging run down the right but no forward is switched on to deflect it goalward. It remains 3-1 to Malaysia
Malaysia lead India 3-1 at half time
Malaysia have come from a goal down to take a 3-1 lead at half time. Jugraj Singh had given India the lead but Malaysia, who started better, have been superior on the whole. Goals from Abu Kamal Azrai, Razie Rahim and Muhamad Aminudin have Malaysia in command
MALAYSIA SCORE!
27’ Malaysia win a penalty corner with three minutes to go in the half. Muhamad Amunudin makes it three for Malaysia! Low strike into the corner and it is unstoppable. India challenge that there is a foot when the ball is trapped but the decision stands. India 1-3 Malaysia!
India vs Malaysia
24’ Malaysia have a PC after a stick check from behind. Najmi Jazlan looks to find the corner of the Indian goal but it is just wide
India vs Malaysia
Azuan Hasan gets a green card for a push on the player’s back and Malaysia are down to 10 players. Two minute suspension for Hasan. Sukhjeet joins him with lack of discipline of his own
Malaysia lead!
18’ Green card for Gurjant and India are down to 10 men. During this period, Malaysia win a penalty corner. India review to try and get it overturned but to no avail. After nothing comes off the first PC, the second is converted. Rahim Razie with the drag-flick, it takes a massive deflection off Amit Rohidas and it hits the top of the Indian goal. India 1-2 Malaysia
India vs Malaysia live
Penalty corners for India at the stroke of end of first quarter. Hardik Singh’s stick gets stuck in the pitch and the injection is poor. Malaysia cover the space and block the attempt to force a long corner. But before it could be taken, the hooter goes for the end of the first quarter. India 1-1 Malaysia after 15 minutes
Malaysia equalise!
Abu Kamal Azrai has equalised for Malaysia and India are guilty of not playing to the whistle. Azuan Hasan enters the circle, squares the ball and Azrai scores with India thinking the ball had gone out of play. India 1-1 Malaysia!
INDIA SCORE!
Harmanpreet Singh is not on the pitch for the drag flick but Jugraj Singh is! A cracking strike to the keeper’s right and India lead 1-0!
India vs Malaysia Live
8’ Karthi Selvam wins India a penalty corner. Gorgeous take and then tries to run down the line but is pushed away with a hand. PC!
India vs Malaysia Live
7’ Jarmanpreet with a neat trap inside the circle and then plays the ball into the goalmouth. Plenty of bodies in the area but doesn’t creep in. A moment later, Harmanpreet with a slap shot into the circle but doesn’t get a deflection off an Indian stick even though it hits the board
India vs Malaysia Live
5’ Hamranpreet Singh fouls Ashran Hamsami near the circle and that’s a dangerous position for Malaysia. Luckily for India, the free hit doesn’t come to anything. There was a communication gap between two India defenders but it wasn’t capitalised on
PUSHBACK!
India and Malaysia are off after the ceremonies and Malaysia are the first team to make a circle entry. Lucky escape for India as a shot goes narrowly wide. That was a great chance for Malaysia to lead in the very first minute
The teams are on the field and the national anthems are underway
Malaysia’s road to the Final:
beat Pakistan 3-1
beat China 5-1
lost to India 0-5
beat Japan 3-1
beat Korea 1-0
beat Korea 6-2
India’s road to the Final:
beat China 7-2
drew Japan 1-1
beat Malaysia 5-0
beat Korea 3-2
beat Pakistan 4-0
beat Japan 5-0
India vs Malaysia Live – Lineups
India starting XI: Krishan Bahadur Pathak, Varun Kumar, Jarmanpreet Singh, Manpreet Singh, Hardik Singh, Gurjant Singh, Mandeep Singh, Harmanpreet Singh, Sumit, Shamsher Singh, Akashdeep Singh.
Malaysia starting XI: Hafizuddin Othman, Mujahir Abdu, Marhan Jalil, Ashran Hamsami, Faizal Saari, Razie Rahim, Faiz Jali, Azuan Hasan, Abu Kamal Azrai, Najmi Jazlan, Amirul Azahar.
Pre-match talk
PR Sreejesh on India’s goalkeeping department: “Good goalkeepers are incoming. (Krishan) Pathak is getting really well. Pawan (Malik) is there with us. Suraj (Karkera) is also there. We have a good keepers’ pool at the junior level. Goalkeeping is a responsible job, and once you concede goals, you should know how to handle that pressure and situation and how to manage it. Experience is going to help you with that, while I also believe the goalkeeping is in good hands now,” he said.
Sreejesh played his 300th game for India in the semi-final against Japan
Tournament stats:
The competition has seen 79 goals with 40 field goals, 38 penalty corner goals and a penalty stroke.
India have scored 25 goals in the tournament with 15 goals coming from the penalty corner
Pre-match talk
India captain Harmanpreet Singh: “Securing a place in the final is a very big thing for us and we would like to do well in the final. It will be a tough game. We are fully ready and we know that it is important for us to win.”