India vs Japan HIGHLIGHTS Asian Champions Trophy: India thrashes Japan 5-0, sets up final against Malaysia

India is through to the final and sets up a clash with Malaysia. After the frustrating draw in the group stage, Craig Fulton and his team set the record straight. A dominating show from the start to finish.

Shamsher’s shot across the face of goal runs inches wide of Sukhjeet at the far post. Could have easily been six for India.

Japan has a sustained spell of possession but Ryosei Kato mistraps on the right flank to see the spell come to an end.

KARTHI IT IS! The raucous crowd gets what it came for. The local boy is on the scoresheet. Harmanpreet with an aerial into the circle for Sukhjeet who squares it to Karthi. A clever change of direction before slotting the ball into the corner.

Japan has a circle entry after ages. No different result, though, as Harmanpreet stands in the way to intercept.

Nilakanta tries a soft through ball into the Japan circle. There are three Indian sticks in the area and one of them commits a foul which gives the possession to Japan.

India attacked till the very end of the quarter. Harmanpreet went for an aerial to Karthi. The local lad’s mistrap sees the ball run out of play.

The game is almost in India’s bag.

Jugraj is in space in the Japan circle but his swipe at goal is stopped by a Japan interception.

Hardik wins the ball from Japan in the midfield. He storms forward and then passes to Mandeep to his left. Mandeep plays it to Akashdeep further left. The connection on the shot is not clean and the chance goes by.

SUMIT SCORES! Manpreet gets his second assist as he makes a pin-point through ball for Sumit. Sumit takes two paces forward, turns to his left and scoops it over Yoshikawa with a reverse stick.

It is the combination of Manpreet and Amit Rohidas that tests the Japan keeper. Rohidas takes a shot from the top of the D but Yoshikawa parries it away.

An early chance for India to start the second period. The ball is flashed into the circle but it runs wide of Gurjant and Akashdeep.

India did not show much of its attacking prowess in the first quarter but it has made up for that in the second. Start to finish it had control of the ball. Two field goals and a PC conversion before the half way point.

3-0! Mandeep Singh with the faintest of deflections from Manpreet slap. India in complete command here at the Mayor Radhakrishnan Stadium.

GOAL! HARMANPREET SINGH MAKES IT 2-0! The India skipper dissects the rushers and sounds the board to double India’s advantage.

Another PC for India. The circle entry is from the left flank and a Japan defender commits a silly error.

GOAL! AKASHDEEP SINGH GIVES INDIA THE LEAD. Hardik and Sumit with neat interplay from the right of the circle. Hardik slaps it goalwards. The keeper makes the save but the deflection is straight at Akashdeep who puts it into the net.

Kentaro Fukuda enters the circle and takes aim at goal only for the ball to run wide.

Sumit tries a fancy dribble down the right wing but commits a foul in the way.

Japan has managed to keep the Indian side at bay. There were a couple of potential entries into the circle from the Indians but nothing too much to trouble Yoshikawa.

Jarmanpreet slaps a pass into the circle. Manpreet gets a touch but the ball is too fast to be stopped.

Manpreet Singh enters the D and swings a reverse stick shot at goal. Takuma Niwa is up to stop it and gets a stick in the way.

Japan flocking its own circle to prevent a passage for the Indians.

Hardik Singh with a dash down the right side of the circle. He gets to the close and tries a shot too but is runs past the face of goal.

Shamsher gets a green card and a 2-minute suspension with it.

Jarmanpreet wins India’s first penalty corner.

Skipper Harmanpreet drills his dragflick low at goal but Yoshikawa gets a strong foot to keep it out.

Manpreet drills the ball into Shamsher, whose shot-cum-pass effort is blocked.

The game is underway and though Japan had the start, it is India which has taken the ball.

India: PR Sreejesh, Varun Kumar, Jarmanpreet Singh, Manpreet Singh, Hardik Singh, Mandeep Singh, Harmanpreet Singh, Sumit, Shamsher Singh, Akashdeep Singh, Gurjant Singh.

Japan: Takashi Yoshikawa, Shota Yamada, Seren Tanaka, Kentaro Fukuda, Taiki Takade, Takuma Niwa, Manabu Yamashita, Ken Nagayoshi, Genki Mitani, Masaki Ohashi, Kosei Kawabe

It will be a landmark game for Indian hockey legends PR Sreejesh, who will play his 300th international game. He gets the starting quarter ahead of Krishan Pathak.

Malaysia marches into the final with a thumping win!

Korea makes a goalkeeping change with Jaehyeon taken off for Jaehan Kim for the final 5 minutes.

GOAAL! Najib Hassan enters the circle from the right and to the baseline and cuts it back to the goalmouth where Seunghoon deflects it into the path of Silverius, who tomahawks a looping finish into the net.

GOAAL! Malaysia adds a fifth through Shello Silverius, who colelcts a pass from Ashran Hamsani before turning and finishing!

No goals but plenty of action

Korea gets a PC with 20 seconds left. There’s a reaward after Jang’s dragflick.

Jang has another go which is high to the keeper’s right but Othman sticks out his padding to make the save!

PC with 3 seconds left on the clock! The dragflick is deflected wide.

SAVED! Jihun Yang’s penalty stroke is low and to the left of the keeper but Othman gets down in time to make the save!

PC for Korea. There’s a reaward but the umpire goes for a referral. TV umpire says its a penalty stroke.

Hyeongjin Kim gets space to enter the Malaysian circle. He uses it and packs a shot away at goal but it flies off target.

Kyobeom Kim is awarded a green card for an infringement and Korea is down to 10 men.

Malaysia with another circle entry early on in the second half. Kyubeom Kim gets in the way and clears the danger, though.

The second half is underway.

FIH President Tayyab Ikram confirmed that the FIH has stopped the trial for the new penalty corner proposal which was put forth by a committee in August.

Azrai wins the ball back outside the circle and slips a pass between defenders to Ashari, whose effort is saved by Kim by rushing out.

GOOAAAL! Malaysia with another from a penalty corner. From the first battery, Najmi Azlan finds the to corner of the net!

There will be an important announcement at half-time from FIH president Tayyab Ikram. Stay glued to our blog and we will bring you the latest on it.

GOAL!! Malaysia goes ahead through the wizard Faizal Saari! From the PC reaward, Faizal dragflicks it past Kim and sounds the board.

PC for Malaysia after Seunghoon Lee stickchecks Ashari’s run inside the circle.

What an enthralling opening 15 minutes of the semifinal we have had! Both teams are giving it a good go. The Korean fans in the south stand have found their voice and are singing in delight.

GOAAAAL! Korea gets the equaliser through Jang Jonghyun, who rifles his dragflick from the second battery into the left corner!

PC for Korea after Razie Rahim body checks Son Dain on the right side.

Amirul Azahar gets a green card. 2 minutes suspension. Malaysian coach Arul Anthoni comes over for some harsh words to Azahar.

GOAAAAL! Najmi with the second! From the PC, Faizal’s dragflick is blocked by the postman but the ball rebounds out wide to Najmi, who rifles a finish from a tight angle into the far corner. Korea asks for a referral for dangerous height but is unsuccessful. Korea loses it referral.

Another goal mouth melee where four Malaysian attackers converge on Kim Jaehyeon. The referee awards a PC for Malaysia.

PC awarded to Korea but Malysia calls for a referral. TV replays show the ball hit a Chinese attacker’s leg first. Free hit for Malaysia.

Kim Jaehyon stretches to make a save from Najmi’s dragflick which Azuan Hasan pounced on by setting himself before jabbing it on goal but Kim reacts to make another save!

GOAAAL! Malaysia responds immediately through Azrai Akmal! He receives the ball outside the circle and dribbles his way past Korean bodies before sliding a tomahawk finish into the net.

GOAAAL! Wow! Korea just needed 60 seconds to get on the scoresheet! Malaysian defender looks to clear the ball out but it bobbles up of a Korean stick near the goalmouth where Cheaon Ji Woo jabs it from over his head and into the net to wheel away in celebration.

Korea in red gets the game underway from left to right.

Malaysia: Hafizuddin Othman, Mujahir Abdu, Marhan Jalil, Faizal Saari, Aminudin Muhamad, Firhan Ashari, Razie Rahim, Faiz Jali, Azuan Hasan, Abu Kamla Azrai, Amirul Azahar.

Korea: Jaehyeon Kim, Manjae Jung, Jungjun Lee, Woo Cheon Ji, Cheoleon Park, Hyeseung Lee, Sunghyun Kim, Seunghoon Lee, Hyeongjin Kim, Juyoung Lee, Jonghyun Jang (c)

A slightly shaky performance but the scoreline would suggest a strong reading. A 5th place finish for the young Pakistan team which has displayed plenty of flair.

Penalty corner for China. Jeishang Gao’s dragflick is rising and heading towards the top right corner but Murtaza makes a superb block as the postman.

GOAL!! Pakistan adds a sixth! Abdul Rana receives the ball outside the circle, jinks between two defenders and smashes the ball into the far corner of the goal.

GOAL! Relief for Pakistan after Ammad add his second goal of the day. A variation in PC routine forcing Caiyu to make the save and loop the ball up near the goal mouth and Ammad has the simple task of leaping high and smashing the ball into the net.

Abdul Rana cuts in from the left into the circle and takes a shot which Muhammad Khan gets a stick too, forcing Caiyun to go low and make the save. But the ensuing melee earns Pak a PC.

Another chance for China. Benhai Chen cuts in from the left and looks to fire the ball into the top corner but his shot is over the bar.

China has outplayed Pakistan this quarter and should have added another goal or two. Pakistan has had poor 4th quarters this tournament. Can China take this to a shootout?

China on the counter on the right side with Changliang finding Qijun Chen, who takes the ball on the turn but the referee calls for a foul.

Pakistan changes its keeper. Abdullah Khan is replaced by Akmal Hussain.

A superb pass takes out the Chinese midfield to find, Afraz, who flicks it past his marker and tries to pass it past the keeper but Caiyu makes the save.

GOAAAL! China pulls one back and one could say it has been coming. Benhai Chang goes low and straight through the keeper’s legs to sound the board. It was almost as if the Pakistani PC rushers made way for Chen to dragflick it through.

A real scrum in the Chinese goalmouth but China somehow get it out of danger. In the other end, China breaks down the left and earns a penalty corner.

The third quarter is underway. China had the same number of circle penetrations (9) in the previou half and here too it starts well. Another ball from the right from Jeinshang Gao but its intercepted well.

The Chinese have arrested the goal flow after the 4 goals in the first quarter alone. They even had a couple of chances in the second quarter but failed to make the most of it

Abdul Shahid’s sliding effort from Sufiyan’s dragflick comes off the post! China with a big opening on the counter with Benhai Chen inside the circle with no one to mark him. But Abdullah Khan comes out to put him off and successfully does so with Chen ending up hitting the side of the goal.

Abdul Shahid’s run from the right and pass into the middle earns a PC after the ball strikes the Chinese defender’s foot.

No goals so far. China comes forward and Jiesheng Gao plays a pass into the circle where Changliang Lin looks to pass it into the net but again, Abdullah Khan palms it away.

That’s 45 more minutes left and it’s already 4-0...

GOAAAL! Abdul Shahid gets his first of the day. Abdul Rana finds Ammad in the circle on the left, who passes it to Shahid, who opens his stick to divert it into the net. An air of embarrassment from Shahid as he celebrates that goal.

GOAAAL! Sufiyan with another from a dragflick and goes the same route for a similar result. This is looking to be a cricket score here.

Afraz run into the circle and tomahawk shot gets the foot of a Chinese defender. Penalty corner for Pakistan.

GOAAAAL! Muhammad Khan Sufiyan scores from a penalty corner! He arrows his dragflick into the top right corner.

GOAAAL! Pakistan gets the lead! A ball from the right gets a deflection off a Chinese stick which forces Caiyu to get his legs in the way but the rebound falls kindly to Muhammad Ammad, who pokes the ball home.

Benhai Chen runs into the circle and looks to dribble his way and round the keeper to score but Abdullah Khan sticks his foot out to kick the ball away.

China on the counter and E Wenhui released Ao Weibao, who takes a first-time tomahawk but his shot goes sailing over the goal.

A real end of the competition feels to the start of the game. It’s been really open. Let’s see if things settle down a bit.

A long ball into the Pakistan circle and Abdullah Khan rushed out to pad it away with his hand.

Sufiyan looked to place the ball into a runner’s path rather than power his dragflick through.

Pushback and within 28 seconds, Pakistan get a penalty corner.

Both teams line-up for the national anthems for one final time this tournament. Perhaps for the first time this tournament, two Pakistan fans holding a huge national flag are stood in the stands during the anthem.

Pakistan: Abdullah Khan (GK), Aqeel Ahmad, Arshad Liaqat, Abdul Rana, Abdul Hannan, Zikriya Hayat, Usama Bashir, Umar Bhutta (c), Muhammad Sufyan Khan, Muhammad Murtaza, Afraz.

China: Caiyu Wang (GK), Qijun Chen, Chengfu Chen, Jiesheng Gao, Chongcong Chen, Zixiang Guo, Shihao Du, Benhai Chen, Changliang Lin (C), Lei Meng, Ao Weibao

Pakistan would look to end its campaign on a high as it faces a winless China in the fifth-place playoff match.

The air of promise that surrounded the youthful team was blown away with a 0-4 defeat at the hands of India. The result ensured that for the first time in seven editions of the Asian Champions Trophy, Pakistan would finish outside the top four.

But given that it will be the unit’s final game before the much-awaited Asian Games, the focus would be to improve on its strengths. The side’s forwards have been creative but wasteful.

Hence, the likes of Abdul Hannan Shahid, Abdul Rehman, and Abdul Rana converting the chances should be a big boost.

Pakistan’s breezy start on Wednesday was strong enough to jolt the World No. 4 Indians. If it emulates the same against China, it could certainly close the game within the first half.

China, too, banks on young talent. And it is a side that improved drastically as the tournament progressed. The recovery was led by its defence. After conceding 12 goals against India and Malaysia, China let in only five in the next three.

Read full preview by Abhishek Saini

Pakitan vs China - 5th/6th place match - 3:30 PM IST

Malaysia vs Korea - Semifinal 1 - 6:00 PM IST

India vs Japan - Semifinal 2 - 8:30 PM IST

The last match between India and Japan ended in a draw that was dominated by the host but frustratingly defended by the reigning Asian Games champion to blunt the battery of Indian attacks.

On Friday, India will be looking to find a way to break that down as it seeks a spot in the final of the Asian Champions Trophy 2023.

Having finished unbeaten on top of the pool table, India will be looking to go all the way as it builds up to the big-ticket Asian Games in just over a month.

The ACT will be the last competitive outing for the team and a final chance for Craig Fulton to fine-tune his plans and see his players in action before the home stretch of training and finalising his squad.

But it won’t be easy.

Japan finished fourth on the table, its lone win in the last league match enough to put it above Pakistan but the team has constantly pushed its opponents even in games it has lost.

It is also the only team to have denied India’s battery of drag-flickers with Raiki Fujishima, Shota Yamada and Ken Nagayoshi repeatedly making suicidal runs during PC defence.

Asian Champions Trophy 2023 hockey: India hopes to march on victory-run vs Japan

Having finished unbeaten on top of the pool table, India will be looking to go all the way as it builds up to the big-ticket Asian Games in just over a month.

Hello and welcome to the live coverage of the Asian Champions Trophy 2023: Follow the live action, score and updates from the semifinals played between India vs Japan and Malaysia vs Korea and the 5th position match between Pakistan and China from the Mayor Radhakrishnan Stadium in Chennai.