The Chinese mainland men's field hockey team finished as runners-up, securing a silver medal at the Asian Champions Trophy final in Hulunbuir, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, on Tuesday. Despite the 1-0 loss to India, this marks the Chinese mainland's best-ever performance in the tournament, surpassing their top-four finishes in 2012 and 2013.
Jugraj Singh scored the only goal of the match in the 51st minute, leading India to clinch the Asian Champions Trophy for the fifth time.
Chinese mainland goalkeeper Wang Weihao was instrumental in the team's defensive efforts, preventing the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics bronze medalists from scoring in the first half with crucial saves against Sukhjeet Singh, Raj Kumar Pal, and Nilakanta Sharma.
The Chinese mainland defense was both solid and strategic, allowing a few penalty corners in the first half but none in the second, demonstrating improved tactical play.
With nine minutes remaining, Harmanpreet Singh initiated an attack from the left flank and sprinted to the baseline, passing to Jugraj Singh near the penalty spot. The 27-year-old scored the decisive goal, securing India's victory.
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China finish with silver at men's field hockey Asian Champions Trophy
cgtn.com
