Asian Champions Trophy 2026: Late Flurry Helps India Overcome Stubborn Japan

India secured a 4-1 victory against Japan at the Asian Champions Trophy 2026 on Friday in Jalandhar, maintaining its unbeaten position at the top of the table after scoring three goals in the final 15 minutes.

According to the report published by Sportstar, the defending champion was tested to the limit by a disciplined Japanese side ranked eight places below India in world rankings. Japan's patient play and defensive organization kept the host team at bay for the first 45 minutes.

Match Progression and Goal Scorers

• 11th Minute: Abhishek opened the scoring for India, slamming in a pass from Sukhjeet Singh.
• 15th Minute: Japan equalized when Shota Yamada converted a penalty stroke following a penalty corner.
• 47th Minute: Captain Harmanpreet Singh broke the deadlock with a penalty corner goal.
• 51st Minute: Abhishek added his second goal of the match.
• 56th Minute: Vishnukant Singh sealed the 4-1 scoreline.

Tournament Context and Other Results

Coach Craig Fulton and Abhishek noted that a half-time tactical shift to increase pressing and attacking pace helped break Japan's resistance.

In other matches reported from the tournament:

• Malaysia defeated Bangladesh 6-1.
• Korea overcame China 2-1 after scoring twice in two minutes.

Readers can verify official tournament announcements and fixtures through recognized sports news outlets and official hockey federation updates.