India men’s hockey captain Harmanpreet Singh praised his team’s composure and discipline after the hosts staged a comeback to defeat Japan 4-1 in the final of the Asian Champions Trophy 2026 at the Olympian Balbir Singh Senior International Hockey Stadium in Mohali on Thursday.
Harmanpreet said the team remained focused on executing its game plan throughout the 60-minute contest, regardless of the scoreline, and credited the players for maintaining their composure, particularly in the final quarter.
“Our target and focus remained the same: to stay focused for the entire 60 minutes. Regardless of the score, we stuck to the plan we were given. We will definitely deliver a strong performance. In the final quarter, we managed to score some good goals. The outcome was the same, and it really comes down to how patiently you react to situations and how calm you remain. The whole team demonstrated that, and we certainly scored some excellent goals toward the end,” Harmanpreet told ANI after the match.
With the victory, India extended their record tally to six Asian Champions Trophy titles and completed a hat-trick of consecutive triumphs, having also won the tournament in 2023 and 2024. The defending champions finished their campaign unbeaten, registering seven wins in as many matches.
Japan took an early lead through Kazumasa Matsumoto, who scored with a backhand in the third minute. The visitors maintained their 1-0 advantage until half-time before India staged a comeback in the second half.
Shilanand Lakra equalised in the 42nd minute through a penalty corner variation involving Harmanpreet. Dilpreet Singh put India ahead in the 47th minute, while Jugraj Singh converted a powerful drag-flick in the 52nd minute. Vivek Sagar Prasad added the fourth goal a minute later to seal the victory.
India forward Mandeep Singh expressed satisfaction over the team’s consecutive title wins and thanked the spectators for their support.
“It feels great that we have won back-to-back gold medals. Both teams were playing very well, and our second half went very well… I thank everyone who came here to watch the match, because this is the first time such a large crowd has gathered in Punjab,” Mandeep said.
Former India women’s hockey captain Rani Rampal, who attended the final and the medal distribution ceremony, highlighted the significance of hosting an international hockey tournament in Punjab and praised the local crowd for its support.
“The feeling of playing on home ground is truly special—especially in a state like Punjab, which has contributed so many players to hockey, particularly to the men’s game. It’s wonderful that an international tournament is being held in Punjab for the first time, and I’m glad I had the opportunity to witness it,” Rani said.
She also appreciated the presence of young spectators and players’ families in the stands, while acknowledging Japan’s strong performance in the opening half.
Rani said India improved after shifting to its traditional attacking style towards the end of the third quarter, which helped the hosts take control of the match.
Rani represented India in 212 international matches and scored 134 goals during her playing career. She was also the youngest member of the national squad at the 2010 World Cup, aged 15.
India have now won the Asian Champions Trophy in 2011, 2016, 2018 (jointly), 2023, 2024 and 2026. Japan finished runners-up for the third time, having also lost the finals in 2013 and 2021.
Earlier in the day, Malaysia secured the bronze medal with a 5-2 victory over South Korea after recovering from an early deficit.
(ANI Inputs)
