India’s unbeaten run at the Men’s Asia Cup Rajgir 2025 hit its first bump on Wednesday as Korea stunned the hosts with a spirited 2-2 draw in the Super 4 stage. Playing in front of a packed crowd at the Bihar Sports University Hockey Stadium, India were forced to salvage a point after falling behind 1-2, with Mandeep Singh’s late strike rescuing them from defeat.
Hardik Singh (8’) and Mandeep Singh (53’) were on target for India, while Ji-hun Yang (12’) and Hyeon-hong Kim (14’) struck in quick succession for Korea.
“Not a setback” – Harmanpreet
Captain Harmanpreet Singh downplayed concerns despite India’s patchy display.
This is part of the game; we have not lost the match, so it is not a big setback. Korea is a strong team, and we had to share the points with them today. We did not make a good start, but played good hockey in the third and fourth quarters and created a lot of opportunities. The only thing missing was scoring off the chances.
Coach Fulton Rues Missed Chances
Head coach Craig Fulton admitted India’s forwards were wasteful in front of goal.
It was a game of two halves. Korea defended deep and breaking them was difficult, but we still managed to create a lot of chances. We’ll work on our finishing and rectify these mistakes against Malaysia tomorrow.
How the Match Unfolded
India began brightly despite a rain delay, with Hardik Singh’s dazzling solo effort giving them an early lead. But sloppy defending let Korea back in. Jugraj Singh conceded a penalty stroke in the 12th minute, which Ji-hun Yang converted, before Hyeon-hong Kim’s drag-flick two minutes later turned the game on its head.
India peppered the Korean circle in the second and third quarters but found the goalkeeper and rushing defenders in inspired form. Chances for Sukhjeet Singh, Abhishek and Harmanpreet went begging as frustration mounted.
With time running out, Sukhjeet split the defence in the 53rd minute and set up Mandeep Singh, who calmly slotted into an empty net to level at 2-2. Both sides pushed for a winner, but another flurry of penalty corners and half-chances went unrewarded as the spoils were shared.
Malaysia Stay Perfect, Japan seal 5th place
Elsewhere in the Super 4s, Malaysia extended their winning run with a 2-0 victory over China, while Japan defeated Chinese Taipei 2-0 in the 5th–6th place playoff, with Shinohara Ryosuke scoring both goals.
What’s Next for India
The draw leaves India with work to do as they face Malaysia next in a crucial clash. The top two sides from the Super 4s will advance to the final, and with Malaysia unbeaten, India cannot afford further slip-ups.
