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Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the Indian men's team for securing the Junior Men's Asia Cup, beating South Korea 4-1 in the title clash in China on Sunday.
The Indian Junior Mens Hockey Team were crowned champions of the 2026 Mens Junior Asia Cup after defeating Korea 4-1 in the Gold Medal match in Moqi, China, on Sunday. The victory saw India successfully defend their title and lift the continental crown for a record sixth time. Posting on X, PM Modi wrote, "Congratulations to our Junior Mens Hockey Team on winning the Asia Cup with an emphatic 4-1 win in the final. It is indeed a remarkable achievement. This feat reflects the immense talent of our young players. Best wishes to the entire team!" https://x.com/narendramodi/status/2099144488946151671 India, who had entered the tournament as five-time champions and defending champions, produced a commanding performance in the final to add another chapter to their rich history in the competition. Their previous titles came in 2004, 2008, 2015, 2023 and 2024, and the latest triumph further strengthens their position as the most successful team in the history of the Mens Junior Asia Cup. India began the Gold Medal match with attacking intent and earned their first penalty corner with just over seven minutes remaining in the opening quarter. Korea managed to clear the opportunity, but India continued to press and won another penalty corner shortly afterwards. This time, India made the opportunity count. Ajeet Yadav scored through a deflection in the 9th minute to put India 1-0 ahead. India continued to apply pressure and earned another penalty corner with just over two minutes remaining in the opening quarter. Captain Anmol Ekka stepped up and converted the opportunity in the 13th minute to double Indias advantage. Korea earned a penalty corner in the closing stages of the first quarter, but the Indian defence stood firm to keep the Korean attack at bay. India therefore ended the opening 15 minutes with a 2-0 lead. India continued to control proceedings in the second quarter and added their third goal in the 21st minute. Prabhdeep Singh produced a superb finish to send the ball into the net and extend Indias lead to 3-0. Korea looked to find a way back into the contest, but Indias defensive unit remained compact and disciplined. India went into the half-time break with a commanding 3-0 advantage. The third quarter saw India continue to dictate the tempo. The Indian side earned a penalty corner with just under seven minutes remaining in the quarter, but the attempt struck the crossbar. India continued to press, but Korea defended resolutely throughout the third quarter and prevented the defending champions from adding to their lead. India began the final quarter with the same attacking intent and earned a penalty corner. Korea initially did well to keep out a barrage of attempts on goal, before India were awarded a re-awarded penalty corner following a referral. Koreas referral was unsuccessful, allowing India to retain the penalty corner. India made the opportunity count as Ashu Maurya found the back of the net in the 50th minute to extend Indias lead to 4-0. Korea were awarded a penalty stroke following a foul, and Captain Lee Minhyeok converted from the spot in the 54th minute to pull one goal back for his side. Korea continued to search for another opening and earned a penalty corner in the final minute. Their flick struck the post before the deflection went wide, allowing India to see out the remaining moments and complete a memorable 4-1 victory. With the final whistle, India secured their sixth Mens Junior Asia Cup title, successfully defending their crown and further strengthening their status as the most successful side in the history of the continental junior championship. The triumph also confirms Indias qualification for the FIH Mens Junior World Cup, adding another significant achievement to an impressive campaign in Moqi. In recognition of the teams outstanding achievement, Hockey India announced prize money of Rs 3 lakh for each player and Rs 1.5 lakh for each member of the support staff. The Indian Junior Mens Team thus capped their campaign in Moqi with the continental title, showcasing consistency, resilience and attacking quality throughout the tournament before finishing their title defence on the highest note with a 4-1 victory over Korea in the Gold Medal match (ANI)
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