India Wins Gold Medal: Indian Men's Hockey Team Defeats Japan 5-1 In Final To Strike Gold In Asian Games, Qualifies For Paris Olympics

India Wins Gold Medal: India defeated the defending champions in the final in a comprehensive manner to strike gold.

India's captain Harmanpreet Singh celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal against Japan during the Men's Hockey Final match at the 19th Asian Games, in Hangzhou, China, Friday, Oct. 6, 2023

Source : PTI

The Indian men's hockey team has defeated defending champions Japan 5-1 to win the gold medal at the ongoing Hangzhou Asian Games 2022. With the victory, the team has also qualified for the 2024 Paris Olympics. The achievement also means that for the first time in 41 years, India now have an Olympic, Asian Games, and Commonwealth Games Hockey medal at the same time. Team India came up with their best game in this final and Japan had no answers to India's brilliant display of hockey. Manpreet Singh, Harmanpreet Singh, Amit Rohdas and Abhishek scored for India while Japan netted a solitary goal which came off the stick of Tanaka Seren. 

India Win First Gold In Asian Games In Nine Years

Having won a bronze medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic games, the Indian Men's hockey team managed to win a gold medal in Asian after a period of nine years. While Harmanpreet netted a brace for India with a goal each in the 32nd and the 59th minute, Abhishek found the back of the net in the 48th minute. Amit Rohdas scored in the 36th minute while Manpreet added to India's tally in the 25th minute. The only goal from Japan came in the 51st minute.

In the opening quarter, both the teams were defensive in their approach. India did get a penalty corner in 15th minute but the flick from Amit Rohdas went straight to the goalkeeper.

Goal Fest From Second Quarter Onwards

From the second quarter onwards, it was a goal fest and India were on the right side of it in this match. Manpreet opened the scoring for India in the 25th minute. In the next quarter, India scored twice both of which were penalty corner conversions. In the final quarter, India scored twice again to emerge as the winner.

100 Medals Confirmed For India in Asian Games 2022

The delayed Asian Games 2022 happening in 2023 has seen India being already assured of 100 medals. Their previous-best tally was of 70 medals which they had gathered in the previous edition of the games.