India face Pakistan in high-octane clash at Asian Champions Trophy

Gulf Today Report

A buoyant India will look to maintain their perfect run in the Asian Champions Trophy with a win over arch-rivals Pakistan in the most anticipated match of the tournament.

Hosts India are on the top of the group with three wins from four games and have already secured a semi-final berth. They will look to maintain the winning momentum.

While, Pakistan will try book their semi-finals berth with an outright victory over the hosts in a bid to avoid the jitters of depending on the other results to scrape through to the last four the continental championship.

The race for the last-four has been heated up as four teams – Pakistan, Japan, China and South Korea -- are vying for the remaining two semi-finals spots.  Apart from the top two teams – India and Malaysia – four teams are separated by just four points, which has left the race wide open.

Pakistan have managed to muster just one victory from their four matches and lying on the fourth spot. It is a must-win game for Pakistan if they have to qualify for the last four.

Should they face a defeat against India, Pakistan will have to wait for a string of results top go their way. They will hope China can spring an upset victory against Japan and pave their way to the semis. Pakistan will pray for Malaysia to beat South Korea.

India are leading the group with 10 points, having procured three wins and a draw while Malaysia are on the second points with nine points, winning three and losing one. Pakistan and Japan are ties on five points each. Both the teams have won one game each and drawn two and lost one. Japans have two points after managing two draws and as many defeats. While Japan are at the bottom with just one point, having lost three and drawing one.

Irrespective of the rankings in India and Pakistan match, the team which handles the pressure well is likely to emerge winners. India have played an attacking brand of football but they need to focus on their defence before the crunch clash. Indian skipper Hamanpreet Singh admitted that they need to bolster their defence and not concede goals.

Pakistan are coming into the match on the back of a morale-boosting win against Korea. They will look to extend their winning streak.

Pakistan head coach Muhammad Saqlain said they are confident of playing good hockey against India and their focus will be on the match.

Meanwhile, Hockey India on Tuesday announced the appointment of Herman Kruis, from the Netherlands with over two decades of coaching experience, as coach of Indian men and junior women’s hockey teams.

During his stint in India, he will oversee the preparations of Indian junior men and women’s teams ahead of the all-important FIH Men’s Junior hockey World Cup 2023 in Malaysia and Women’s Junior Hockey World Cup 2023 in Santiago respectively later this year. In his vast coaching experience, Kruis has worked with Den Bosch ladies -- a club based out of Netherlands -- as their head coach and during his tenure the team won the European Cup eight times in a row.

He was also the national head coach for Netherlands indoor women’s hockey team between 2006 to 2008 and he was also the national head coach for Netherlands outdoor team between 2008 to 2010. In his most recent stint, he was the national head coach of Belarus indoor and outdoor team from 2016 to August 2023. Kruis is a certified FIH coach-Educator.

“Hockey India is delighted to welcome coach Herman Kruis to our national program for the junior teams.  He will oversee the ongoing preparations of the junior men and women’s teams and I believe his experience will further boost our prospects at the Junior hockey World Cup 2023. He will be working closely with Tushar Khandker to coach women’s side and CR Kumar Coach India Junior Men’s side,” said Hockey India president Padma, Dr Dilip Tirkey.