Jalandhar: India closed out the league phase of the Hero Asian Champions Trophy Punjab 2026 at the top of the table after securing an 8-0 victory against South Korea at Jalandhar’s Olympian Surjit Singh Hockey Stadium on Monday.
The Indian attack maintained steady pressure across four quarters, with Dilpreet Singh scoring two goals alongside single strikes from Jugraj Singh, Harmanpreet Singh, Shilanand Lakra, Sukhjeet Singh, Sanjay, and Angad Bir Singh. Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann and former Dutch player Floris Jan Bovelander maintained their presence at the venue for the concluding league fixture.
Following a 3-0 advantage at half-time, India asserted further control in the third period with four goals within a seven-minute span. Defense throughout the match remained firm, with goalkeepers Krishan Bahadur Pathak and Suraj Karkera maintaining a clean sheet against multiple penalty corner attempts from Korea.
Player of the Match recipient Sanjay declared that the team achieved its initial objective of topping the group stage and looked forward to the crowd support in the upcoming knockout rounds. The result leaves India at the head of the standings with 15 points from five matches.
In parallel league matches, Japan maintained a 2-1 win over Malaysia to secure second position with 10 points, while Bangladesh and China asserted a 1-1 draw.
The semi-final stage will commence on November 4 in Mohali, featuring India against South Korea and Japan against Malaysia, with the final set for November 5.
