Men's hockey: Dominant India beat South Korea 8-2

Continuing their dominant march in Pool A of the Asian Games, the Indian men’s hockey team produced an emphatic 8-2 victory over South Korea at the Gifu Prefectural Green Stadium in Kakamigahara on Thursday, extending their seven-year unbeaten streak against their continental rivals.

While Abhishek (15th, 38th) and Dilpreet Singh (26th, 32nd) scored a brace, Shilanand Lakra (4th), Sukhjeet Singh (10th), skipper Harmanpreet Singh (11th) and Rajinder Singh (60th) chipped in with a goal each. South Korea got two consolation goals through Kim Jae Ho (42nd) and Kim Yong Bok (52nd).

Although South Korea began with a compact, disciplined defensive block, India’s structured passing and relentless circle penetrations quickly unlocked them.

Forward Lakra broke the deadlock with a neat finish, opening the floodgates for an Indian attacking display. By half-time, India had established complete control, camping out in the South Korean half.

A flurry of penalty corners (PC) and fluid combination play allowed Sukhjeet, Harmanpreet, Abhishek and Dilpreet to score, giving India a commanding 5-0 lead by the end of the first two quarters.

Despite their overwhelming advantage, India dropped their intensity slightly in the third quarter, allowing defensive cracks to emerge. South Korea capitalised against the run of play when Kim Jae Ho turned in a sharp pass to get his team on the scoreboard.

The goal highlighted a minor area of concern for head coach Craig Fulton, as India has now conceded in all three group matches against lower-ranked opponents.

South Korea, who have dropped to as low as No.21 in the world, showed renewed energy early in the fourth quarter, using slick 3D skills to earn penalty corners and force India onto the back foot.

South Korea’s standout forward, Kim Yong Bok, provided a moment of brilliance by embarking on a solo run down the left flank, evading two Indian defenders before smashing home South Korea’s second goal.

India responded by reasserting control late in the game. Despite a few rare execution hiccups at the top of the D during penalty corner setups, India adapted cleverly. Off a late set-piece, Hardik injected to the second battery as South Korea focused on blocking Harmanpreet, allowing Rajinder to hammer a powerful strike to the goalkeeper’s left to wrap up the 8-2 scoreline.

India have not lost to South Korea since the 2019 Sultan Azlan Shah Cup. In the 10 meetings between the two sides since that shootout defeat, India have claimed seven wins alongside three draws, a run that underlines the growing gap between India and the rest of Asia as they pursue back-to-back Asian Games gold medals.