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Key Points

Indian hockey captain Harmanpreet Singh received the perfect celebration for his 250th international match with a commanding 4-1 victory over Malaysia. The team showed remarkable resilience by bouncing back after conceding an early goal in the opening minutes. Coach Craig Fulton expressed pride in his players' tactical execution and character under pressure. This important win gives India strong momentum as they prepare for their crucial match against China on Saturday.

Key Points: Harmanpreet Singh Celebrates 250th Match with Asia Cup Win Over Malaysia

  • India rallied from early deficit with four consecutive goals
  • Manpreet Singh equalized before Sukhjeet and Lakra scored
  • Coach Fulton praised team's resilience after previous draw
  • Victory strengthens India's position in Super 4s group stage
3 min read

Hockey Asia Cup: Best gift I could have received on my 250th match, says Harmanpreet after 4-1 win over Malaysia

Indian hockey captain Harmanpreet Singh calls 4-1 comeback victory over Malaysia the "best gift" on his 250th international appearance in Asia Cup Super 4s.

"This win is the best gift I could have received in my 250th international match - Harmanpreet Singh"

Rajgir, Sep 4

India captain Harmanpreet Singh described his side’s 4-1 triumph over Malaysia in the Men’s Asia Cup Super 4s as the “best gift” he could have received on the occasion of his 250th international appearance.

India, playing at the Rajgir Hockey Stadium, had to rally from behind after Shafiq Hassan (2’) put Malaysia ahead in the opening minutes. The hosts regrouped swiftly, equalising through veteran midfielder Manpreet Singh (17’) before Sukhjeet Singh (19’) and Shilanand Lakra (24’) turned the game around with quickfire goals.

Vivek Sagar Prasad (38’) added a fourth after the break to put the result beyond doubt, ensuring India’s second win of the Super 4s stage.

“This win is the best gift I could have received in my 250th international match, and I’m very happy the team gave it to me,” Harmanpreet said after the match. “We win as a team. Even after conceding the first goal, we did not come under pressure. Our plan was clear — stick to our structure, and we knew the goals would come. Yesterday against Korea was a tough day, but today the team showed that we know how to bounce back. Our forwards created opportunities and the defence worked superbly as a unit.”

Coach Craig Fulton praised his team’s resilience and tactical execution. “I am proud of the players’ performance. After yesterday’s draw, the team responded brilliantly. Conceding an early goal is never an ideal situation, but the players showed great character to come back strongly and score four consecutive goals,” he said.

The match itself highlighted India’s ability to respond under pressure. After falling behind, the home side grew stronger with every quarter. Manpreet’s opportunistic strike from a penalty corner rebound levelled the score, and Sukhjeet’s sharp finish soon gave India the lead. Lakra’s deft deflection extended the advantage before Vivek capped the scoring midway through the third quarter.

Malaysia tried to fight back with penalty corners and open-play opportunities, but India’s defence, marshalled by Harmanpreet, stood firm. Goalkeeper Krishan Bahadur Pathak also pulled off crucial saves to deny the visitors.

On India’s preparation, Fulton added: “We had done our homework on Malaysia. Every team is different, and today the players succeeded in finding the patterns we were looking for. Our aim is to qualify [for the final], and for that our focus has to remain sharp.”

With the victory, India consolidated their position in the Super 4s group and gained momentum ahead of their next match against China on Saturday.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

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Priya S
Manpreet Singh's equalizer was crucial! Experience matters in these situations. The way our team bounced back after yesterday's draw shows mental strength. On to China next! 💪
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Sarah B
Impressive performance! The coordination between forwards and defense was excellent. Krishan Pathak's saves were vital too. Hope they maintain this form for the final.
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Arjun K
While the win is fantastic, we still need to work on not conceding early goals. Against stronger teams, that early setback could cost us. But great response today! 👏
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Meera T
250 matches for Harmanpreet! What an achievement! 🎉 So proud of our captain and the entire team. The way they're playing under pressure is remarkable. Jai Hind!
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David E
Great tactical execution by Coach Fulton. The team's structure and patterns were evident today. Hope they can build on this momentum for the upcoming matches.

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