Asia Cup Day 4: Final matchday of the group stage

Image Credit: Hockey India

Bangladesh vs. South Korea:

The Super 4 dream was over for Bangladesh as they were defeated by South Korea in their final group stage match, which was virtually an elimination match. South Korea, having suffered a heavy defeat against Malaysia, found themselves in unfamiliar territory when they faced the risk of elimination in the group stage itself.

South Korea opened the game strongly, scoring twice inside the first ten minutes. It was Dain Son, who opened the floodgates and doubled their lead through a penalty corner. Inside the first two quarters, they managed to score two more goals past the Bangladeshi defense. Bangladesh also got a goal in the 22nd minute, with Sobuj Shohanur scoring against the run of play. Bangladesh steadied their ship in the last two quarters, as they had done in their previous games of the tournament. They didn’t concede but didn’t score either. In the final seconds, right before the hooter, Bangladesh conceded a goal through a penalty stroke to end the game 5-1. South Korea officially goes through to the Super 4s. After the match, Dain Son spoke to PixelSports, saying, “In the knockouts, we will show you the real South Korea.”

With that victory, Pool B’s Super 4 participants are confirmed, with Malaysia topping the group and South Korea finishing as group runners-up.

Malaysia vs. Chinese Taipei:

In a dead rubber game between one of the favorites to win the tournament in Malaysia and one of the youngest teams in the entire competition, with an average age of just 23 years, in Chinese Taipei, Malaysia was always expected to dominate and they did just that.

Inside the first 10 minutes, Malaysia managed to penetrate the Chinese Taipei defense, which looked rather weak, twice. Their target men, Akhimulla Anuar and Ashran Hamsani, got their names on the scoresheet. By the end of the first quarter, it was 3-0, and Chinese Taipei already looked out of the match. The Chinese Taipei team appeared weak, tired, and totally out of place. In the second quarter, Malaysia scored five more times, breaking Chinese Taipei’s hearts even further. It looked like a long match day was ahead for the Chinese Taipei players, as they were eight goals down by halftime. Right from the get go, it was too easy for the Malaysians to attack relentlessly and score, with Chinese Taipei offering little to no resistance. The third and fourth quarters followed a similar story, with Malaysia bulldozing over Chinese Taipei by scoring four goals and three goals in each quarter, respectively.

Akhimulla Anuar scored five goals in the match through three field goals, a penalty stroke, and a penalty corner, becoming the tournament’s highest goal scorer with nine goals. When the hooter went off to signal the end of the match, it was almost a sigh of relief for the Chinese Taipei players.

The match ended 15-0, one goal shy of the record margin of victory in Asia Cup history. Along with Akhimulla Anuar, Hamsani Ashran and Sumantri Norsyafiq also completed their hat tricks.

Despite such a resounding victory, head coach Sarjit Kundan, speaking to PixelSports, said, “We are not the favorites. India are the favorites.” Is this respect or mind games?

China vs. Japan:

After a cagey and tactical battle, the match ended in a stalemate, but it was China who ultimately got the last laugh as they became the latest addition to the Super 4s. China followed a specific game plan throughout the Asia Cup 2025, sitting back to absorb pressure and pouncing on mistakes made by their opponents. China had momentum on their side, having completely decimated Kazakhstan in the previous match, whereas Japan came into this match after a 60 minute battle that ended unfavorably against India.

In this match as well, China executed their well known strategy, allowing Japan plenty of ball possession while sitting deep inside their half and waiting for their moment. In the 7^th minute, China earned a penalty corner, which was converted by Changliang Lin. After conceding, Japan pushed their players forward, but China convincingly saw out every attack.

Deep in the second quarter, China regained possession and played a long ball from deep inside their defense, which was received by Yuanlin Lu. Lu unleashed a shot across the goal that was tapped in by Xiaojia Zhang, making it 2-0 to China. Japan continued to attack and soon found the back of the net when Tanaka Kaito and Kazumasa Matsumoto combined brilliantly, with Matsumoto finishing to put Japan right back in the contest.

Japan’s defense looked shaky throughout the game, and the Chinese think tank was smart enough to realize this, starting to play long balls in the hope that the Japanese might slip up when caught in a counter attack. The third quarter was extremely tactical, with both teams trying to execute their plans to perfection.

The breakthrough came in the final quarter, with just 10 minutes left, when Japan’s Kazumasa Matsumoto equalized, setting up a huge finale. Japan took off their goalkeeper and implemented the flying goalkeeper strategy, but by then China had switched to a full blown low block. Japan’s top scorer of the tournament, with three goals, Kosei Kawabe, dragged the last shot of the game wide, and with that, the game finished as a draw. However, it was China who had the last laugh as they advanced to join Malaysia, India, and South Korea in the Super 4.

India vs. Kazakhstan:

In another dead rubber match, it was India, who had already qualified for the Super 4, up against Kazakhstan, who had already been eliminated from the tournament. India’s head coach, Craig Fulton, saw this as an opportunity to score some goals. Field goals had eluded India in this tournament, with only one coming from Mandeep Singh. India had relied heavily on penalty corners and captain Harmanpreet Singh to convert them. Kazakhstan’s story, on the other hand, was gloomy, having conceded 20 goals and scored only one prior to this match. The match saw India lining up in their changed white kit.

India dominated right from the beginning, scoring three goals in the first quarter and four goals in each of the next three quarters. Abhishek was the player of the match with four goals. Apart from Abhishek, Sukhjeet Singh also completed his hat trick. With almost the entire team on the scoresheet, the match finished 15-0, as the contest looked over after the first quarter. India kept attacking, and every time they had the ball, it looked like they would score.

Captain Harmanpreet Singh showed signs of a true leader when he, the regular penalty corner and penalty stroke taker for India, delegated his responsibilities to different players like Jugraj Singh, Amit Rohidas, and Sanjay. The Kazakhs looked slow and sluggish and struggled to deal with the constant pressure of India’s lightning quick attacks. The Kazakhs won a solitary penalty corner, which they made a mess of. India dominated for the entirety of the game. Kazakhstan finished their group stage having conceded thirty five goals in three games and scored only once.

India were longing for field goals, and out of their fifteen goals scored by India, nine were field goals. Captain Harmanpreet Singh, who has been in fine form since the beginning of the tournament, also scored two goals, taking his total to seven, only behind Malaysia’s Akhimulla Anuar, who leads with nine goals.