Asian Champions Trophy: Statistical Rewind – India vs South Korea

Indian senior men’s hockey team take on South Korea in their lung opener of the 6th Men’s Asian Champions Trophy at the Maulana Bhasani Hockey Stadium in Dhaka. The Blueshirts have played the South Korean four times in the Asian Champions Trophy – won thrice and drew once and never lost to them. India first clashed with South Korea in the inaugural edition at Ordos, where they took a 3-0 lead inside the first seven minutes of play before the Koreans responded with two first-half goals but the Indians packed more firepower to win that match 5-3.

India next faced South Korea in the league phase of the 2016 edition in Singapore, where they mounted a comeback after leaking a first-half goal to play out a 1-1 draw riding on a goal by Lalit Upadhyay. India met the same opponents in the semifinal of the 2016 edition, where they won the 5-4 in a shootout after both teams were tied 1-1 in regulation time.

The men in blue posted their most convincing win over South Korea in the 2018 edition at Muscat, where they were powered by a Harmanpreet Singh hat-trick in their 4-1 win. Featuring in their first competitive match after the Olympic bronze-winning match against Germany at Tokyo, India on paper, look good to pull off a cozy win against South Korea. However, the Koreans are known for speed and agility and are capable of springing a surprise or two.