India started their Hero Asian Champions Trophy 2023 campaign with a convincing 7-2 win over China at the Mayor Radhakrishnan Stadium in Chennai on Thursday.
The Indian team, led by Harmanpreet Singh, took a 2-0 lead in the first quarter after the skipper converted two penalty corners. Sukhjeet Singh scored the third goal in the final minute of the first quarter to give India a comfortable 3-0 lead at the break.
Akashdeep Singh scored India’s fourth goal in the second quarter, but China pulled one back through Wenhui in the 27th minute. However, India responded with three more goals in the third quarter through Harmanpreet (penalty corner), Varun Kumar (penalty corner) and Mandeep Singh to take a commanding 7-1 lead.
China scored a late consolation goal through Yew Weng, but it was too little too late as India cruised to a comfortable victory.
Harmanpreet Singh was the star of the show for India, scoring a brace and setting up two more goals. Varun Kumar also had a good game, scoring two goals from penalty corners.
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Key takeaways from the match:
- India’s attack was in top form, with Harmanpreet Singh, Akashdeep Singh and Varun Kumar all scoring.
- The Indian defense was also solid, keeping China to just two goals.
- China’s penalty corner conversion rate was poor, as they only scored two of their five attempts.
Looking ahead:
India will face Malaysia next on Saturday, in a match that is sure to be another close contest. The Malaysians are a strong side, and they will be looking to avenge their 2-1 loss to India in the FIH Pro League earlier this year.
India will need to be at their best if they want to secure another win. However, they have shown in recent months that they are capable of beating any team on their day.
Overall, it was a good start for India in the Hero Asian Champions Trophy. They will be hoping to build on this performance and challenge for the title.