Kakamigahara, Oct 3 (SocialNews.XYZ) India men’s hockey head coach Craig Fulton expressed pride in his team after they successfully defended their Asian Games gold medal with a commanding 5-1 victory over Malaysia in the final here on Saturday, saying the team had achieved its primary target for 2026.
The victory at the Gifu Prefectural Green Stadium also secured India a direct qualification berth for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.
“It was to come here and defend our title. And we did that. And we played a nice brand of hockey and scored a lot of goals. So it was brilliant,” Fulton told IANS after India’s emphatic win.
Harmanpreet Singh led from the front with a brace, while Jugraj Singh, Hardik Singh and Shilanand Lakra also got on the scoresheet as India produced a clinical performance to retain the continental crown.
Fulton said the team remained committed to its game plan despite the pressure surrounding the final, while also acknowledging the sacrifices made during a long campaign.
“We’re a good team; stick to our game plan, commit. And it was also a lot about how we have been on the road for a long time and our families. Who are you playing for? Obviously your nearest and dearest, and at the same time the whole of India is watching and willing us to win a gold medal for India,” he said.
India went ahead through Harmanpreet in the 11th minute after the captain converted a penalty corner, but Malaysia hit back through Shello Silverius to make it 1-1 at the end of the opening quarter.
Jugraj restored India’s lead in the 23rd minute with a penalty-corner conversion before Hardik Singh extended the advantage by converting a penalty stroke in the third quarter.
Shilanand then made it 4-1 in the 54th minute after finding the net following a deflection, before Harmanpreet completed his brace with another penalty-corner conversion to seal a comprehensive win.
Fulton felt India’s approach in the final was markedly different from the tense semifinal against Pakistan, where the team surrendered a three-goal advantage before Abhishek’s late strike secured a 4-3 victory.
“I think going through the semi-final and the pressure that we came through there, this was totally different. This was more about being patient, and we created enough chances, and the third quarter was immense. We came out, and there was the difference. Played really well,” he said.
Reflecting on the semifinal against Pakistan, Fulton admitted India had allowed their opponents back into the contest after a strong start.
“We started the game with two halves. We played the first half; they played the second half. But yeah, they’re a team that if you don’t take care of business and you’re a bit careless, they can hurt you, and they did, and they played off our mistakes,” he said.
“We had to just clean up tonight and make sure we didn’t make any gifts or give them anything. And we did that. And I’m proud that we got the win,” he added.
The triumph also marked a historic edition for Indian hockey, with both the men’s and women’s teams winning gold medals at the same Asian Games for the first time.
Source: IANS
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