India conquered all but Japan eye silenced the Mohali crowd in the ACT final
Even before the Asian Champions Trophy got underway in Jalandhar and Mohali, there was a sense of inevitability surrounding India’s campaign. The hosts were expected to play the final on Thursday 5 November against the best of the rest. And that’s exactly how things turned out.
India will take to the Olympian Balbir Singh Senior Hockey Stadium in Mohali with another title within reach. But standing between Harmanpreet Singh and his men and another piece of silverware is a Japanese side who have quietly emerged as their biggest challengers in the tournament.
ASIAN CHAMPIONS TROPHY: FULL INFORMATION
For India, lifting the Asian Champions Trophy would be a fitting way to end the 2026 season. The Hockey Pro League campaign ended in disappointment once again, while their participation in the World Cup was far from satisfactory. But there was one main goal on the calendar: to win gold at the Asian Games and secure direct qualification for the 2028 Olympics.
They achieved this goal. The ACT now offers India an opportunity to end the year on another high and add another title to their growing collection.
And there was no doubt about their place in the final.
India’s complete dominance was on display throughout the round. Under Harmanpreet, the visitors scored 34 goals and conceded just five in the first five matches. Opponents struggled to limit their attacking firepower, with India’s dominance at times making the match look almost one-sided.
Wednesday’s semi-final against Korea was another example. India gave their opponents eight wickets to extend their remarkable dominance against the Koreans.
But amidst all that attacking brilliance, there was one team that managed to make India uncomfortable. For nearly 47 minutes, Japan pushed the hosts before India eventually pulled away.
And that’s why Thursday’s final promises a different challenge.
INDIA WARS ABOUT JAPAN THREATS
One of the biggest questions heading into the Asian Champions Trophy was whether any team could really challenge India’s dominance. Japan emerged as the answer and perhaps fittingly they will have another shot at the hosts in the final.
A closer look at Japan’s campaign reveals a team that continues to build momentum and develop a structure capable of troubling the Indian giants.
Their victories were not always spectacular, but they were built on a clear game philosophy. Japan started with a 3-2 win over Korea before going on to win 1-0 against Bangladesh.
Then came their league encounter with India. Although eventually losing, Japan gave the hosts a real scare and had them on the ropes for long periods of the contest.
Japan’s aggressive high press disrupted India’s rhythm from the outset. Even after India scored first, Harmanpreet and Co. they struggled to find their usual fluency. Stray passes and turnovers became a recurring feature as the Japanese relentlessly pressed and forced mistakes.
Their persistence finally paid off as they found the equalizer to make it 1-1. For a brief moment, an upset didn’t seem entirely out of reach.
India eventually rediscovered their rhythm and secured victory, but Japan made a statement. They showed that the Indian attacking machine could be disrupted if the opponent gets the tactics right.
A source close to the Indian team told India Today that Japan was expected to be their opponent in the final. The Japanese have now lived up to that expectation by beating Asian Games silver medalists Malaysia twice. They first secured a 2-1 victory in the league stage before winning a thrilling penalty shoot-out in the semi-finals, following a 5-5 draw.
Japan now have the opportunity to pull off the biggest surprise of the tournament. Their first step towards this goal is to play without fear.
“First of all, we want to be brave. We want to attack aggressively and also push when we defend. That’s the game plan,” Japan captain Raiki Fujishima said.
The Japan captain also knows that taking on India in Mohali will mean dealing with a passionate home crowd. However, his team has no intention of worrying.
“Even if the Indian crowd is there, it doesn’t matter. We focus on what we have to do. We have to give everything we have. That’s the Japanese style,” Fujishima said.
STICK TO THE BASICS
Japan may be India’s biggest threat in the final, but there is no doubt that the hosts will start as overwhelming favourites.
Craig Fulton pretty much stuck to his trusted formula throughout the tournament. There was little need for radical experimentation, India have enough quality to overwhelm most of their opponents.
The message was simple: get the foundations right, maintain the structure and leave the rest to the quality of the players.
Fulton expects his players to follow that approach again on Thursday, although Japan’s ability to disrupt their rhythm means India will need to be particularly sharp.
“We want a fast start and that’s how we want to set it up. But at the same time, they’re a good team. But it’s about us and it’s about us taking our chances and defending well,” Fulton said.
“You want to win the final, so you want to perform. So we have to go back to our basics, our basic game and the real structure, and then we can play.”
For this plan to work, India will also hope to have one of the key attacking players back. Abhishek’s availability remains an issue after he twisted his ankle during the match against Malaysia.
The 27-year-old warmed up before the semi-finals and was named in the squad, but did not feature in the competition. His absence has left India working with a limited number of players, with Mandeep Singh and Rajinder Singh also having to be managed cautiously.
But Fulton is not willing to take unnecessary risks with the attacker.
“He’s close, but not yet. So I’m giving him more time and the last thing we want to do is hurt him, force him to play. He doesn’t have to play, so we have time. But it’s difficult because we’re only playing with 15. So we’ve played three games now with 15 players. So that’s what happened,” he said. He is in the Fulton lineup.
When India and Japan take to the pitch in Mohali on Thursday, both sides will know exactly what is at stake.
India will look to push their attacking game, make the most of their chances and avoid the trap Japan set for them in Jalandhar. The Japanese, meanwhile, will be hoping to replicate the aggressive pressing that plagued the hosts at the start of the tournament.
India has the firepower, experience and domestic support. Japan are sure to make life difficult for their favourites.
The stage is set for a final that could be far more competitive than India’s dominant run through the tournament suggests.
INDIA VS. JAPAN: HEAD TO HEAD
Japan have beaten India only three times since 2013, with the last victory coming in 2022. Meanwhile, India have won 27 out of 32 matches, with two matches ending in draws.
ASIAN CHAMPIONS TROPHY: SCHEDULE FOR NOVEMBER 5
Third Place Playoff: Malaysia vs Korea – 4.30pm
Final: India Vs. Japan – 7:00 p.m
WHERE TO WATCH ASIAN CHAMPIONS TROPHY LIVE?
The Asian Champions Trophy matches on November 5 will be telecast live in India on Star Sports Select 2. The matches will also be available for live streaming on the JioHotstar app and website.
– The end