Bhubaneswar (Odisha) [India], October 2 (ANI): Hockey India President Dilip Tirkey congratulated the Indian males’s hockey group on reaching the Asian Games 2026 closing after defeating the archrivals Pakistan in an in depth encounter on Thursday and prolonged his finest needs to each the boys’s and girls’s groups, who’re eyeing direct qualification for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.
Speaking to ANI after India’s thrilling 4-3 semifinal win over Pakistan, Tirkey praised the group’s preventing spirit and backed each side to complete their Asian Games campaigns with gold medals.
‘It was a really attention-grabbing match between the 2 sides. India established a 3-1 lead as early as the primary half, although the rating later levelled at 3-3. In the dying seconds, a fourth purpose was scored to safe the win. The girls’s group has additionally carried out exceptionally properly on the Asian Games, displaying an excellent recreation. We all consider in them and supply our greatest needs that each groups will carry out properly and qualify straight for the Olympics. All the very best to Team India from all of us,’ Tirkey instructed ANI.
The defending champions have been in management early towards Pakistan, taking a 2-0 lead within the opening quarter by way of captain Harmanpreet Singh’s two penalty-corner dragflicks.
Sukhjeet Singh then prolonged India’s benefit within the twenty fourth minute, however Pakistan staged a outstanding comeback. Abu Baker pulled one again earlier than Hannan Shahid and Waheed Rana scored within the third and fourth quarters respectively to degree the competition at 3-3.
With the match heading in direction of a tense end, India discovered the decisive purpose with simply 50 seconds remaining. Abhishek’s effort and the following rebound have been initially saved out, however the ball ultimately deflected off a Pakistan stick and located the web to seal India’s place within the closing.
India will face the winner of the second semifinal between Malaysia and South Korea within the males’s gold-medal match on Saturday.
Tirkey additionally praised the Indian girls’s group, who had already secured their place within the closing with a 2-0 semifinal victory over South Korea.
After a goalless opening two quarters, Ishika broke the impasse late within the third interval earlier than captain Salima Tete added a second purpose within the closing quarter to ship India into the title conflict towards defending champions China.
China reached the ultimate after overcoming hosts Japan 4-2 in a shootout following a 0-0 attract regulation time.
Both Indian groups are actually chasing Asian Games gold medals that may additionally assure their respective National Olympic Committees a direct qualification quota for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.
The males’s closing is scheduled for Saturday, whereas the ladies’s gold-medal conflict towards China will likely be performed on Friday. (ANI)