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ACT Hockey: Harmanpreet's double helps India beat Pak

Last updated on: December 17, 2021 21:40 IST

India celebrate Harmanpreet Singh's goal

IMAGE: India's players celebrate after Harmanpreet Singh scores. Photograph: Hockey India

Vice-captain Harmanpreet Singh scored a brace as India defeated arch-rivals Pakistan 3-1 to register their second consecutive win and virtually qualify for the semi-finals of the Asian Champions Trophy men's hockey tournament, in Dhaka, on Friday.

 

Harmanpreet (8th, 53rd minute) converted two penalty-corners, while comeback man Akashdeep Singh, who missed out on the Tokyo Olympics, found the net from a field effort in the 42nd minute for his second goal of the tournament.

Pakistan's lone goal was scored by Junaid Manzoor in the 45th minute.

It was India's second win in the tournament after their 9-0 drubbing of hosts Bangladesh, while Pakistan are still winless, having drawn goalless against Japan in their opening match.

India had earlier drawn 2-2 against Korea in their tournament opener.

India lead the points table with seven from three games and will take on Japan in their last round-robin match of the five-team tournament on Sunday.

Pakistan, meanwhile, have just one point from two games. 

India and Pakistan were joint-winners in the last edition of the tournament in Muscat after the final was washed out.