Asian Champions Trophy 2023: India eye spot in final as they take on gritty Japan

India will be looking to continue their fine Asian Games 2023 preparation by reaching the final of the Asian Champions Trophy on August 11 in Chennai.

The Asian Champions Trophy 2023 has been a thrilling spectacle of hockey, with India emerging as a dominant force throughout the tournament. The Indian team, led by skipper Harmanpreet Singh, has maintained an unbeaten run in the tournament, showcasing their prowess and determination.

They started off strong, defeating China 7-2, followed by a 1-1 draw against Japan. Their most recent victory was a resounding 4-0 win over arch-rivals Pakistan, where Harmanpreet Singh struck twice from penalty corners.

The semi-final clash against Japan is anticipated to be a challenging match for India. Apart from this, India have been drawn alongside the defending Asian champions in the upcoming Asian Games 2023 in the pool stages as well.

In their previous encounter during the round-robin stage, Japan proved to be a formidable opponent, denying India a victory with their gritty and dauntless defending. Despite India’s 15 short corners, they could only convert one, demonstrating Japan’s effective defense strategy.

India’s coach, Craig Fulton, however, remains optimistic. He believes that the result against Japan was an aberration and is confident in his team’s consistent performance. He emphasized the need for consistency and the importance of finding the back of the net at some point. Fulton also highlighted that the mode of goal-scoring, whether through field goals or penalty corners, does not matter as long as the goals keep coming.

Harmanpreet Singh, who has been in red-hot form, will be a key player in the upcoming match. His dual role as captain and drag-flicker has been instrumental in India’s success so far. Despite their unbeaten run, India will need to improve on their conversion rate from penalty corners, especially considering Japan’s strong defense.

Over the last few games, India has found some form of success in the form of PC conversion, with four out of the last seven goals coming in from short corners.

They will also need to maintain their defensive solidity, which has been a significant factor in their success so far.

The semi-final match will be held at the Mayor Radhakrishnan Hockey Stadium in Chennai. As India prepares to face Japan, they will be looking to break Japan’s resistance and secure their place in the final of the Asian Champions Trophy 2023.

When and where to watch the Asian Champions Trophy 2023 semi-final

Time: 8:30 PM IST

Broadcast: The match will be telecasted live on the Star Sports Network and Fancode app.