Asian Games 2026: Dilpreet Singh shines as Indian males’s hockey continues dominant run, beats South Korea

Aichi-Nagoya [Japan], September 24 (ANI): The Indian males’s hockey group continued their effective run on the ongoing Asian Games with an 8-2 win over South Korea on Thursday. 

Dilpreet Singh was the star of the present for India with a hat-trick of objectives, persevering with his unbelievable type within the match. So far, India has a 13-1 win over Indonesia and a dominant 16-1 win over Sri Lanka. They have matches in opposition to Japan (September 26) and Bangladesh (September 28) nonetheless to go. Defending champions India will probably be eyeing a clear sweep within the group stage of their bid to retain their gold for the primary time and seal a direct spot within the Los Angeles Olympics 2028. 

Shailanand Lakra opened the scoring for India within the fourth minute, after a go from Abhishek was blocked and went to Shailanand on the rebound, who put India forward. 

Dilpreet Singh, one in all India’s standout performers within the match up to now, secured his title of the scoring sheet with a fierce hit from the centre, which hit the goalie and went in. India was 2-0 up within the ninth minute courtesy of poor defending from South Korea. 

The first penalty nook of the match went to Indian skipper Harmanpreet Singh, and he gleefully transformed it to place India 3-0 forward within the eleventh minute. 

Abhishek ended the primary quarter with a incredible aim, getting assist from Shailanand. At the tip of quarter one, India was up 4-0. 

There have been initially no objectives within the second quarter, with India enjoying some aerial balls. However, Dilpreet discovered the online once more within the twenty sixth minute, accumulating a go from Manpreet and deflecting it previous the keeper. South Korea struggled to create probabilities as India ended the primary half at 5-0. 

In the thirty second minute, Dilpreet made a hat-trick, utilizing a fast go from Rajinder and unleashing a tomahawk.

Meanwhile, India received a number of penalty corners however didn’t convert, and it was Abhishek who fired the seventh. It was a complete group set-up, courtesy of a number of passes main as much as the aim. Sukhjeet Singh’s shot was saved, and South Korea managed to place the ball away, nevertheless it went to Abhishek, who wasted no time in scoring. 

In the forty second minute, Kim Jaeho made positive South Korea had some presence on the scoring sheet. The third quarter ended 7-1 in favour of India.

In the 52nd minute, South Korea had their second aim courtesy of Kim Yongbok. 

Rajinder ended the match with a last-minute aim for India. (ANI)