Eight Goals, One Message: India Storm into the Champions Trophy Final

India did not ease into the Asian Champions Trophy final. In Mohali on November 4 the hosts dismantled South Korea 8–1, booking a seventh final appearance and keeping an unbeaten run intact. Shilanand Lakra and Dilpreet Singh scored twice each; captain Harmanpreet Singh, Sukhjeet Singh, Angad Bir Singh and Vivek Sagar Prasad also found the net. India led 6–1 by half-time after three goals in each of the first two quarters.

The result fitted a tournament pattern. Craig Fulton’s side had already beaten every round-robin opponent, including an 8–0 league win over the same Korean team, and topped the six-nation table. Penalty-corner count told the story of pressure: India earned four, Korea none. Japan await in the final after beating Malaysia 5–3 on shootouts following a goalless draw — a stiffer defensive test than Korea provided.

A sixth Champions Trophy title would extend a list that already includes 2011, 2016, the 2018 shared crown with Pakistan, 2023 and 2024. Home crowd, attacking depth and recent form make India favourites. Japan’s ability to keep a clean sheet for sixty minutes against Malaysia is the warning. For one night in Punjab, though, the message was simpler: when this Indian forward line clicks, the scoreboard runs out of room.