India defeats Pakistan 2-1 in ACT hockey: In their final league game of the Asian Champions Trophy hockey tournament in Hulunbuir on Saturday, undefeated India defeated archrivals Pakistan 2-1 thanks to two penalty corner conversions from captain Harmanpreet Singh. India had won the six-team round-robin competition five times running. Ahmad Nadeem gave Pakistan the lead in the eighth minute, but Harmanpreet (13th, 19th) converted two penalty corners to give India the victory. This was Pakistan’s first defeat in the competition.
Pakistan and India have already earned a spot in the semifinals. Additionally, the triumph made it possible for India to continue ruling over Pakistan since 2016.
India defeated Pakistan 10–2 in their previous encounter at the Hangzhou Asian Games last year. A few months earlier, in the Chennai edition of the ACT, India defeated Pakistan 4-0.
An relatively young Indian team held Pakistan to a 1-1 draw at the Asia Cup of Hockey in Jakarta (2022), whereas India won the medal of bronze in the 2021 Asian Championships in Dhaka (4-3).
Like every Indo-Pak hockey game, it was end-to-end activity in the first quarter as both teams gave it their all to take home the trophy.
As the game went on, Pakistan’s confidence increased with India’s early dominance of the exchange.
Pakistan drew the first blood of the competition, and India was on the receiving end for the first time.
Nadeem was in the ideal position to head the ball into the Indian goal because of Hannan Shahid’s selfless midfield labor, which divided the Indian defense.
In the 13th minute, a startled India maintained their calm and methodically developed their attacks, winning their first penalty corner. Captain Harmanpreet scored with a strong drag-flick to the left of an unfortunate Pakistani goalie Munneb.
India defeats Pakistan 2-1 in ACT hockey:
The Indians pressed harder in the second quarter and were awarded their second penalty corner in the 19th minute. Harmanpreet’s precise shot put India ahead 2-1, and the Pakistani defense was once again left flat.
Pakistan had several opportunities to enter the opposition circle, but India had the upper hand in terms of possession during the second quarter.
Pakistan missed a chance to tie the score with a penalty corner 45 seconds before halftime when Sufyan Khan’s flick, which struck the top of the bar, was called back for a raised ball.
Following the change of ends, the Indians maintained possession and earned their third penalty corner in the 37th minute, but Pakistan’s defense held strong.
After that, a persistent offensive phase allowed Pakistan to quickly earn four penalty corners, but they lacked the force to penetrate the Indian defense.
Both teams launched persistent attacks in the last quarter, with India earning three more penalty corners but unable to capitalize.
Harmanpreet and Pakistan’s Ashraf Waheed Rana exchanged blows during the match after the latter shoulder-checked Jugraj Singh inside the Indian circle.
The hit knocked Jugraj down, and he was seen winking in agony. Singh, Harmanpreet and Jarmanpreet countered the perpetrator quickly.
In an attempt to calm the situation, the on-field umpires, Pakistani captain Butt, and other players from both teams hurried in, but Rana was given a yellow card, which led to a 10-minute suspension after the umpire submitted a report for serious misconduct.
Meanwhile, Malaysia and Korea drew 3-3 in the first match of the day.
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