India finished the league stage of the Asian Champions Trophy Punjab 2026 with a perfect record on Monday, thrashing Korea 8-0 at the Olympian Surjit Singh Hockey Stadium in Jalandhar for a fifth win in five matches.
Dilpreet Singh scored twice, in the eighth and 40th minutes. Jugraj Singh, captain Harmanpreet Singh, Shilanand Lakra, Sukhjeet Singh, Sanjay and Angad Bir Singh got one each.
The win sets up a second meeting with Korea two days later, this time in the semi-finals in Mohali on Wednesday. India are the defending champions and have won the title a record five times, most recently in Hulunbuir, China, in 2024.
Three goals in the first quarter
India started quickly in front of a full house, with Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann among the crowd. Sukhjeet had the first chance in the fourth minute, but Korean goalkeeper Kim Jaehyeon saved his backhand.
Dilpreet opened the scoring four minutes later, finishing on the backhand after Jugraj started the move with an aerial pass. In the 11th minute Harmanpreet’s penalty-corner effort was kept out, Vishnukant Singh picked up the loose ball and Jugraj scored from his pass.
Harmanpreet converted another penalty corner in the 15th minute to make it 3-0 at the first break. It was his ninth goal of the tournament, which puts him top of the scoring chart.
Pathak keeps Korea out
Korea had their best spell in the second quarter and won several penalty corners, but India’s defence held firm. Goalkeeper Krishan Pathak stopped Son Dain in a one-on-one in the 27th minute with his outstretched foot.
At the other end, Aditya Arjun Lalage shot wide, and a penalty corner came to nothing after the ball was ruled to have come off the back of the stick. It was still 3-0 at half-time.
Four goals after the break
India lifted the pace in the third quarter. In the 33rd minute a penalty-corner variation ended with Harmanpreet passing to Jugraj; Kim saved, and Lakra knocked in the rebound.
A minute later Sukhjeet deflected Aditya’s pass from the baseline into the net for 5-0. Sanjay reacted first when Dilpreet’s shot was saved in the 36th minute, and in the 40th minute Sanjay brought down a long aerial ball from Harmanpreet and struck at goal, with Dilpreet getting the final touch.
India slowed things down in the last quarter. Korea had more of the ball but few clear chances. Suraj Karkera made one save, and a Korean penalty corner in the 58th minute was wasted.
In the final minute Angad Bir Singh won the ball in midfield, ran at the circle and slid it under the advancing goalkeeper to make it 8-0. Korea had one more penalty corner in the closing seconds and could not score.
Sanjay, named Player of the Match, said: “We wanted to top the table and we did that.” He asked the crowd to back the team in the same way in Mohali.
Standings and semi-final schedule
India finished on 15 points with a goal difference of plus 29. Japan were second on 10 points after beating Malaysia 2-1 on Monday, Malaysia third on nine and Korea fourth on six. China, on two points, and Bangladesh, on one, drew 1-1 and are out.
The knockout stage moves to the Olympian Balbir Singh Senior International Hockey Stadium in Mohali. Japan play Malaysia in the first semi-final at 4.30pm IST on Wednesday, November 4, followed by India against Korea at 7pm. The medal matches are on Thursday, November 5.
