Dhaka: The Indian hockey team won it’s first Asia Cup in 10 years after they beat Malaysia 2-1 in a closely fought battle at the Maulana Bhasani Hockey Stadium in Dhaka on Sunday, thus ending their long wait for a continental trophy. The win was also India’s third Asia Cup triumph and second outside India. Ramandeep Singh and Lalit Upadhyay scored the two goals for the ‘Blue Tigers’ while Shahril Saabah pulled one back for Malaysia.
It was an intense match as Malaysia fought toe-on-toe with the ‘Men in Blue’ and kept the pressure intact for the full 60 minutes of the match, including an all out attack in the final 10 minutes in search of an equaliser. India however, soaked in the pressure and held on, to finish unbeaten in the entire tournament as they won all their matches comprehensively other than the 1-1 draw against Korea.
The better ranked India started the match on a attacking note and eventually took the lead in only the third minute through Ramandeep Singh, who scored from a rebound after his initial shot from Sunil’s cross hit the post. The 2007 champions could have scored a second in the very next minute but Harmanpreet’s flick from India’s first penalty corner was denied, as Raize Rahim made a goal-line save.
Lalit soon doubled India’s lead a minute before halftime with a clever shot after Sumit had sent in cross in the opposition box from the left channel. The scoreline however could have been different had Malaysia’s custodian Kumar Subramanium not made some crucial saves in the first 30 minutes denying Harmanpreet and Akashdeep Singh a couple of times. He also pulled a brilliant back to back saves first keeping out Akashdeep’s followed by a curled effort by Rohidas.
The second half saw Malaysia go out in an all out attack and pulled one back in the 50th minute, through Shahril Sabaah and although they did put India under tremendous pressure in the final 10 minutes, the ‘Blue Tigers’ held on the small lead to win the elusive title.
Meanwhile arch-rivals Pakistan finished the tournament on a high after thrashing Korea 6-3 in the third-fourth place play-off. Harmanpreet Singh along with Pakistan’s Abu Mahmood finished as the top-goal scorers with seven goals each.