The Indian men’s hockey team, led by Harmanpreet Singh, is set to face off against China in the final of the Asian Champions Trophy 2024. The match will take place on Tuesday, 17 September, with India entering as heavy favorites after their dominant semi-final win against South Korea.
India’s Journey to the Final
India displayed impressive form throughout the tournament, thrashing South Korea 4-1 in the semi-final held in Hulunbuir. Harmanpreet Singh netted a brace, while Uttam Singh and Jermanpreet Singh each added a goal to secure India’s place in the final.
India’s attacking lineup has been lethal, combining creative passing with sharp finishing. The goals from Uttam and Jermanpreet were prime examples of their flair and precision. Defensively, India has remained solid in the post-PR Sreejesh era, with goalkeepers Krishan Pathak and Suraj Karkera excelling between the posts. Thanks to their stellar performances, India has conceded only five goals throughout the tournament.
India is aiming to secure their fifth Asian Champions Trophy title, and it would be a major upset if China manages to pull off a win. Historically, China has only defeated India once in this tournament, back in 2013 when they won 2-0.
India’s Unbeaten Streak
India remains undefeated in the 2024 Asian Champions Trophy, having won all their matches en route to the final:
India vs China: 3-0
India vs Japan: 5-1
India vs Malaysia: 8-1
India vs South Korea: 3-1
India vs Pakistan: 2-1
Semi-final (India vs South Korea): 4-1
China’s Road to the Final
China’s journey to the final has been less consistent. They lost three out of their five group-stage matches, including a 0-3 defeat to India. However, victories over Malaysia (4-2) and Japan (2-0) helped them progress to the semi-finals, where they stunned Pakistan with a 2-0 shootout win to book their place in the final.
China vs India: 0-3
China vs Malaysia: 4-2
China vs South Korea: 2-3
China vs Pakistan: 1-5
China vs Japan: 2-0
Semi-final (China vs Pakistan): 2-0 (shootout)
India vs China: Head-to-Head
India has dominated the head-to-head record against China in men’s hockey, winning five out of their six meetings. The two teams don’t face each other often, having met only a handful of times in recent years, including matches in 2023, 2016, 2014, and 2013.
As the final approaches, all eyes are on India, the clear favorites to claim their fifth title. However, despite the odds, China will be looking to pull off another upset and create history in the Asian Champions Trophy.
