Asia Cup 2025: India Secures Dominant Victory Over Malaysia

The Indian men’s hockey team achieved a significant comeback victory, defeating Malaysia 4-1 in their Super 4 match at the Asia Cup 2025 on Thursday, 4 September. This win marked a crucial moment for India, following their previous draw against South Korea. After conceding an early goal, the team's performance improved dramatically, with three goals in the second quarter.

The scoresheet featured key contributions from Manpreet Singh, Sukhjeet Singh, Shilanand Lakra, and Vivek Sagar Prasad. This result leaves the Super 4 stage open for competition. Earlier in the day, China achieved a surprising 3-0 victory over the defending champions, South Korea, adding to the complexity of the tournament.

Bangladesh also put in a strong performance, securing a place in the fifth-sixth place playoff with a commanding 5-1 win against Kazakhstan.

Malaysia started strong with a counter-attack that caught the Indian defence off guard, allowing Shafiq Hassan to score just a minute into the match. This early setback forced Indian players, including Harmanpreet Singh—who was celebrating his 250th international appearance—to galvanise their efforts. Despite the rocky start, India gradually regained composure and control of the game, creating numerous opportunities as the match progressed.

India's approach shifted significantly in the second quarter. After receiving five penalty corners, they managed to equalise in the 16th minute, with Manpreet tapping in the rebound. Sukhjeet quickly followed suit with a second goal, and Shilanand widened the gap further with a third goal in the 24th minute.

The Indian defence, initially shaky, began to stabilise, applying pressure on Malaysia’s top scorer, Akhimullah Anuar, and successfully containing their attacks.

As the match continued into the second half, Malaysia attempted to level the score with a penalty corner, but Indian goalkeeper Krishan Pathak made a crucial save. India capitalised on a penalty corner opportunity to extend their lead to 4-1 in the 38th minute, courtesy of Vivek Sagar Prasad.

With the match nearing its conclusion, India maintained a strong defensive line, thwarting any attempts from Malaysia to stage a comeback. This performance is lauded as one of India's best displays in the tournament.

With this victory, India is well poised for their next encounter against China, while Malaysia will face South Korea. Both matches are scheduled for Saturday, 6 September, and the outcomes will determine which teams advance to the title clash.

In another noteworthy match, China's unexpectedly dominant win against South Korea saw goals from Benhai Chen and Jiesheng Gao, boosting their chances of reaching the finals. Despite missing key players due to suspensions, China's tactical adjustments proved effective.

Bangladesh's overpowering win against Kazakhstan featured braces from Ashraful Islam and Roman Sarkar, alongside a goal from Tayab Ali. Their success ensured they will compete for the fifth-sixth place on Sunday against Japan.

As the Asia Cup 2025 progresses, the competitiveness intensifies, with teams vying for top positions ahead of the final matchday.

The stakes are high as nations seek glory in this prestigious hockey tournament, making the forthcoming matches critical for all competing teams.