Asia Cup Super4: India held 2-2 draw by Korea

India were left ruing missed opportunities as they settled for a 2-2 draw against defending champions South Korea in their opening Super4 match of the men’s Asia Cup hockey tournament on Wednesday. Despite dominating possession and creating numerous chances, India failed to convert their superiority into a win, allowing Korea to snatch a point through resolute defending and clinical finishing.
The match, delayed by nearly 50 minutes due to a heavy downpour, saw India take an early lead in the 8th minute through Hardik Singh. The midfielder was a standout performer, showcasing skillful dribbles and solo runs. His goal came after Sukhjeet Singh intercepted the ball at the halfline and fed Hardik, who weaved past multiple Korean defenders before slotting the ball past the goalkeeper.
However, defensive lapses cost India dearly. In the 12th minute, Jugraj Singh’s push on a Korean player inside the circle resulted in a penalty stroke, which Jihun Yang converted to level the scores. Just two minutes later, Korea capitalized on their first penalty corner, with Hyeonhong Kim flicking the ball past Indian goalkeeper Krishan Bahadur Pathak to make it 2-1.
India struggled to regain composure after conceding twice in quick succession. Although they managed several circle penetrations, the Korean defence, led by goalkeeper Jaehan Kim, stood firm. A notable chance came in the 24th minute when Jarmanpreet Singh’s slap shot was denied by Kim, leaving India trailing at halftime.
Post interval, Korea slowed the tempo and focused on ball retention, frustrating India’s attacking efforts. In the 41st minute, Sukhjeet Singh missed a golden opportunity, pushing wide from close range after a precise pass from Manpreet Singh. Abhishek also came close twice but failed to find the target.
India earned multiple penalty corners but failed to convert. Harmanpreet Singh’s attempt at the end of the third quarter was blocked, and Jugraj’s powerful flick in the 49th minute was stopped by the Korean first runner. Mandeep Singh finally broke through in the 53rd minute, tapping in a pass from Sukhjeet to equalize. India had another chance moments later, but Amit Rohidas shot wide. Despite relentless pressure until the final whistle, the winning goal remained elusive.
In the other Super4 fixture, Malaysia defeated China 2-0 to open their points tally. After a goalless first half, Syed Cholan converted a penalty corner in the 45th minute, followed by a field goal from Akhimullah Anuar two minutes later. The match saw tempers flare when Fitri Saari accidentally struck Xiaolong Guo, leading to a brief on-field scuffle and yellow cards for Yuanlin Lu (China) and Marhan Jalil (Malaysia).
Earlier in the day, Japan secured a 2-0 win over Chinese Taipei in a classification match for 5th-6th place. Ryosuke Shinohara scored both goals through field efforts in the 5th and 11th minutes, ensuring Japan’s progression.
India will next face Malaysia, while Korea take on China in their upcoming Super4 encounters.