FIVE-TIME champions India continued their unbeaten run, staying on course for a title defence by blanking South Korea 8-0 in their fifth and final roundrobin match of the Asian Champions Trophy hockey tournament here on Monday. Asian Games gold medallists India finished on top of the standings with a maximum 15 points from five wins, ahead of Japan, Asian Games silver medallists Malaysia and South Korea. India had earlier defeated Bangladesh 13-0, China 5-2, Japan 4-1 and Malaysia 4-2 to remain unbeaten in the tournament. The tournament will now shift to Mohali for the final stage, where India will take on South Korea in the semi-finals on Wednesday, while Malaysia will face Japan in the other last-four match. On Monday, striker Dilpreet Singh (8th, 40th minutes) struck a brace, while Jugraj Singh (11th), Harmanpreet Singh (15th), Shilanand Lakra (33rd), Sukhjeet Singh (34th), Sanjay (36th) and Angad Bir Singh (60th) were the other goal-scorers for India. The Indians started on a bright note and had their first shy at goal in the fourth minute, but Sukhjeet Singh’s reverse hit from the top of the circle, after being fed by skipper Harmanpreet Singh, was gloved away by an alert South Korean goalkeeper Jaehyeon Kim.

 

Four minutes later, India took the lead through Dilpreet, who found the net with a fine reverse hit after being supplied by Jarmanpreet Singh. India doubled their lead in the 11th minute when Jugraj scored off a rebound after the Koreans failed to capitalise on back-toback penalty corners. The Indians continued their dominance, extending the lead just 30 seconds into the second quarter when skipper Harmanpreet perfectly converted the team’s third penalty corner with a powerful low flick to the right of the Korean goalkeeper. Down 0-3, the Koreans showed some urgency in the second quarter and secured three consecutive penalty corners in the 18th minute but failed to utilise the chances. South Korea secured another penalty corner in the 24th minute but failed to breach the Indian defence. India scored off a rebound from their fourth penalty corner soon after, but the goal was disallowed for a back-stick infringement. The Indians came out all guns blazing after the crossover and secured two consecutive penalty corners three minutes into the second half. This time, injector Shilanand scored off a rebound after Jugraj Singh’s flick from a variation was saved by Korean goalkeeper Kim. India extended their lead a minute later through Sukhjeet’s field strike after he was beautifully set up by Harmanpreet and Sanjay. Minutes later, Sanjay registered his name on the scoresheet with a fine field goal following a good build-up.