Punjab Newsline | Jalandhar
Asian Champions Trophy, being hosted in Punjab for the first time, has crossed the halfway mark and entered its final league phase, with nine matches already played. Each of the six participating teams has played three matches, with two league fixtures remaining. India and Malaysia have already secured their places in the semi-finals after winning all three of their matches.
The remaining league-stage matches will be played on November 1 and 2, while the knockout matches are scheduled for November 4 and 5. Indian captain Harmanpreet Singh is currently leading the individual goal-scoring chart with five goals.
The tournament has been made possible through the concerted efforts of Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, whose vision has brought a major international hockey competition to the state. Hosting the tournament in Punjab is also a dream come true for Indian hockey players, who have long wished to compete in an international tournament on home soil.
Saturday was observed as a rest day for all participating teams, with no matches scheduled. However, teams from China, South Korea and Bangladesh held practice sessions ahead of their remaining league fixtures.
On November 1, South Korea will face Bangladesh, followed by China taking on Japan. India will then lock horns with Malaysia in the day's final match. On November 2, China will play Bangladesh, Malaysia will face Japan, while India will take on South Korea. The matches will begin at 2:30 pm, 4:45 pm and 7 pm, respectively.
All league-stage matches are being played at the Olympian Surjit Hockey Stadium in Jalandhar. India currently leads the points table on the basis of a superior goal difference, while Malaysia occupies second place. Japan is third with two victories, followed by South Korea in fourth place with one win. China and Bangladesh are yet to register a victory.
Of the six participating teams, the top four will qualify for the semi-finals, while the teams finishing fifth and sixth will compete for the fifth-place position. All knockout-stage matches will be held at the Olympian Balbir Singh Senior Stadium in Mohali on November 4 and 5.
A total of nine matches have been played so far, with all producing decisive results and none ending in a draw. The tournament has witnessed 54 goals, averaging six goals per match. Of these, 28 have come from field goals, 23 from penalty corners and three from penalty strokes.
India has been the most attacking side, scoring 22 goals while conceding just three. Malaysia has scored 14 goals and conceded six. China has netted seven goals while allowing 12, whereas Japan has scored five and conceded six. South Korea has also scored five goals but conceded seven. Bangladesh has managed just one goal while conceding 20.
So far, India and Japan are the only teams to have kept a clean sheet in a match, with both achieving the feat against Bangladesh.
In the individual goal-scoring standings, Harmanpreet Singh leads the chart with five goals in three matches. Malaysia's Abu Kamal Azrai follows him with four goals. India's Mandeep Singh and Abhishek, along with Malaysia's Akhimullah and Azimuddin, have scored three goals each.
The tournament's only hat-trick so far has been scored by India's Mandeep Singh, who netted three goals in the opening match against Bangladesh.
India's Hardik Singh, Sukhjeet Singh, Jugraj Singh and Dilpreet Singh, China's Chongcong Chen and Benhai Chen, and Malaysia's Faizal Saari have scored two goals each. Nineteen other players have scored one goal apiece, taking the total number of players on the goal-scorers' list to 32.
