ACT Punjab 2026: Defending Champions India Face South Korea Test In Semis

ACT Punjab 2026: Defending champions India face South Korea test in semis (ACT Punjab 2026: Defending champions India face South Korea test in semis (Credit: Hockey India))

Olympian Balbir Singh Senior International:  Defending champions India will look to continue their unbeaten run in the ongoing Asian Champions Trophy Punjab 2026, when they take on South Korea in the semi-final at the Olympian Balbir Singh Senior International Hockey Stadium on Wednesday.

India enter the knockout stage unbeaten, having won all five of their league-stage matches, including a dominating 8-0 victory over South Korea in the last league game in Jalandhar on Monday.

India finished the league stage at the top of the standings with 15 points, scoring 34 goals and conceding just five. The team will now look to carry that form into the semi-final as they chase a sixth Asian Champions Trophy title. India are the most successful side in the tournament's history, having won the trophy in 2011, 2016, 2018 (joint winners with Pakistan), 2023 and 2024.

The two teams will meet for the second time in three days, but the semi-final presents a different challenge for both sides. India not only dominated their league-stage encounter in this tournament but also hammered Korea 8-2 at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games 2026 in September on their way to winning the gold medal, recording their biggest victory over the side in the Games' history.

India's Chief Coach Craig Fulton has warned the team against complacency, adding that the semi-final will be a fresh contest. "The pressure will be different. We need a good start; that’s going to be the key," he said after Monday's win over the Korean side.

Korea, meanwhile, will need to find a way to contain India's attacking play and avoid conceding penalty corners. But the Indian forwards have shown that the in-form hosts can also score from open play, giving the defending champions more than one route to goal.

The other semi-final will see Japan take on Malaysia. Japan finished second in the league standings with 10 points, while Malaysia was third with nine. Japan's 2-1 win over Malaysia on the final day helped them secure the higher position. Malaysia's attacking threat will be led by Abu Kamal Azrai, who has scored five goals, and Anuar Akhimullah, who has four.

The fifth-sixth place classification match will be played between China and Bangladesh. While China enter the contest as the favourites, a positive result for Bangladesh would be a major boost for hockey in the country.

The other semi-final will see Japan take on Malaysia. Japan finished second in the league standings with 10 points, while Malaysia was third with nine. Japan's 2-1 win over Malaysia on the final day helped them secure the higher position. Malaysia's attacking threat will be led by Abu Kamal Azrai, who has scored five goals, and Anuar Akhimullah, who has four.

Article Source: IANS