Asian Champions Trophy 2024: India defeat China 1-0 to clinch the third Champions Trophy title

What happened in the match?

India started the game in a similar fashion which has been the norm throughout the tournament. For the first 2 quarters, the women in blue failed to score despite being the better side. India had its chances from penalty corners. However, out of the 4 PCs, the woman in blue failed to convert a single penalty corner. The goal also came ironically, through a messy piece of play. Sushila Chanu initially failed to halt a penalty corner injection properly. But India kept the play alive and found Deepika in the circle on the left-hand side. She waited, took her time, and then unleashed a fierce tomahawk that went low to the far corner and beat the Chinese goalkeeper.

Soon after, India had the opportunity to double the lead as a penalty stroke was awarded for a push on Deepika inside the circle. She stepped up from the spot and sent a low shot to the goalkeeper’s right, but Li Ting, at full stretch, got her gloves to it and kept the ball out.

Subsequently, the Indian team found another opportunity through a penalty corner. However, the women in blue again didn’t take the opportunity because of a mis-trap from Sushila. However, their struggles from penalty corners were in complete contrast to how comfortable they were at the back. India didn’t concede a single penalty corner in the second half, and the only real opening that China had throughout the game was met with a superb save from Bichu Devi.

This was India’s third Asian Champions Trophy, and their second in a row, after successfully defending the title that they had won in Ranchi last year. This Harendra Singh era now has a real base to build on, but India is nowhere near the finished article, which is what the coach aims to make them as they build towards the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.