Rajgir (Bihar), September 4 (Kiran News): The Indian men’s hockey team played out an exciting 2-2 draw against Korea in their opening Super 4 clash of the Hero Men’s Asia Cup Hockey 2025.
For India, Hardik Singh (8’) and Mandeep Singh (53’) scored crucial goals, while Korea struck through Jihun Yang (12’) and Hyeonhong Kim (14’).
The contest began after a short delay due to rain, but India wasted no time in making an impact. In the 8th minute, Hardik Singh, assisted by Sukjeet Singh, produced a brilliant solo run before beating the Korean goalkeeper to net the opener. However, Korea bounced back quickly. Just four minutes later, a defensive lapse by Jugraj Singh led to a penalty stroke, which Jihun Yang converted to level the score. Soon after, Hyeonhong Kim put Korea ahead 2-1 with a powerful drag flick from a penalty corner.
India pressed hard in the second quarter but the Korean defence stood firm. Skipper Harmanpreet Singh and Jarmanpreet created opportunities, yet could not find a way past the goalkeeper. The third quarter also saw India miss several chances, with Manpreet and Abhishek coming close. Harmanpreet’s drag flick was also blocked on the goal line by a Korean defender.
The final quarter brought renewed energy for India. In the 49th minute, Jugraj’s penalty corner attempt went wide, but just minutes later, Sukjeet Singh delivered a fine pass to Mandeep Singh, who made no mistake in finishing and brought India back level at 2-2.
Both sides earned penalty corners in the dying moments, but neither could convert, and the evenly contested encounter ended in a draw.
Bhupendra Singh Chundawat is a seasoned technology journalist with over 22 years of experience in the media industry. He specializes in covering the global technology landscape, with a deep focus on manufacturing trends and the geopolitical impact on tech companies. Currently serving as the Editor at Udaipur Kiran, his insights are shaped by decades of hands-on reporting and editorial leadership in the fast-evolving world of technology.