India came from a goal down to beat Japan 4-1 in the men's Asian Champions Trophy final in Mohali on Thursday, 5 November, sealing a record-extending sixth title and a third championship in a row. The hosts, who trailed at half-time after an early Japanese goal, scored four times in the second half to complete a comeback that underlined their dominance of Asian hockey.
Last updated 6 November 2026 at 10:30 PKT.
Japan strike first, India answer in the second half
Japan stunned the home crowd in the third minute, when Kazumasa Matsumoto collected the ball on the left, worked his way into the circle and beat Indian goalkeeper Suraj Karkera with a powerful reverse hit. It was a dream start for the visitors and a warning that the final would not follow the script of the league stage, where India had beaten the same opponents 4-1 in Jalandhar.
India enjoyed long spells of possession in the first half but found Japan's disciplined defensive structure hard to break down. The hosts' attack struggled for rhythm, the Japanese defenders limited clear chances, and efforts from Abhishek and Hardik Singh failed to trouble goalkeeper Kisho Kuroda. India also lost an early video review after an appeal for a push inside the circle was turned down. Japan, meanwhile, earned penalty corners in the 20th minute, but the Indian defence held firm, with Amit Rohidas producing a crucial block to deny captain Raiki Fujishima.
India went into the half-time break trailing 0-1 and still searching for their first penalty corner of the match. The breakthrough, when it came, changed the game entirely.
Four goals in 12 minutes turn the final
India returned after the break with greater intent. Captain Harmanpreet Singh, one of the tournament's leading goal-scorers, came close from a penalty corner, but Kuroda stood firm, and Harmanpreet's reverse flick from a rebound struck the post. The pressure finally told in the 42nd minute: from a penalty corner, after Harmanpreet's attempts were kept out, Aditya Arjun Lalage produced a superb reverse-flick pass that Shilanand Lakra converted from close range to make it 1-1. Japan challenged the goal, claiming the pass was dangerous, but the TV umpire found no clear reason to overturn the on-field decision.
The equaliser opened the floodgates. In the 48th minute, Hardik Singh recovered possession inside the circle after his initial pass was blocked and set up Dilpreet Singh, who took a touch and finished brilliantly with his back to goal to put India ahead for the first time. Five minutes later, Vivek Sagar Prasad intercepted a pass in midfield, Sukhjeet Singh's effort earned a penalty corner, and Jugraj Singh stepped up to unleash a thunderous drag-flick for 3-1 in the 53rd minute. A minute later, Nilakanta Sharma won a loose ball, Shilanand's initial effort was saved, and the rebound fell to Vivek, who smashed home a superb half-volley to make it 4-1.
Japan earned one final penalty corner with 10 seconds remaining, but India's defence blocked the drag-flick to bring the contest to an end. Four goals in 12 second-half minutes had turned a 1-0 deficit into a 4-1 win — the same scoreline as the league-stage meeting between the two sides.
| Minute | Event |
|---|---|
| 3' | Kazumasa Matsumoto scores for Japan — 0-1 |
| 42' | Shilanand Lakra equalises from a penalty-corner rebound — 1-1 |
| 48' | Dilpreet Singh puts India ahead — 2-1 |
| 53' | Jugraj Singh converts a penalty-corner drag-flick — 3-1 |
| 54' | Vivek Sagar Prasad scores from a rebound — 4-1 |
Context: India have now won the Asian Champions Trophy six times — in 2011, 2016, 2018, 2023, 2024 and 2026. No other team has won it more than twice. The 2026 crown completes a hat-trick of consecutive titles, a tournament record, and India finished the campaign unbeaten, winning every match across the league stage in Jalandhar and the knockouts in Mohali.
A tournament played across two Punjab cities
The ninth edition of the men's Asian Champions Trophy ran from 27 October to 5 November 2026, with the league stage at the Olympian Surjit Singh Stadium in Jalandhar and the semi-finals and final at the Olympian Balbir Singh Senior International Hockey Stadium in Mohali — the first international hockey match played at the Mohali venue, named after the legendary Olympian Balbir Singh Sr., was India's 8-1 semi-final win over South Korea.
Malaysia took the bronze medal earlier on Thursday, beating South Korea 5-2 in the third-place play-off. Japan, beaten finalists, leave with the consolation of having given the champions their toughest test of the tournament — they led at half-time in the final and frustrated India for long stretches before the second-half surge.
"Four goals in 12 minutes turned a final India were losing into a rout — the champions' ruthlessness, not their patience, decided it."
What the title means for Indian hockey
The result extends a period of sustained dominance for the Indian men's team in Asia. The Asian Games gold medallists have now won three Asian Champions Trophy titles in a row, and the unbeaten run through this edition — including two 4-1 wins over the same Japanese side — suggests the gap between India and the rest of Asia remains wide.
The final also offered encouragement beyond the scoreline. The goals were spread across the team: Lakra, Dilpreet, Jugraj and Vivek all scored, while Harmanpreet's penalty-corner threat, Hardik's midfield control and Karkera's goalkeeping underpinned the performance. When Japan sat deep and denied space in the first half, India did not panic; the second-half adjustment — quicker ball movement, more penalty-corner pressure — produced the breakthrough and then the flood.
For Japan, the final was a measure of progress and a reminder of the distance still to travel. Matsumoto's early goal and a disciplined first-half display showed they can trouble the continent's best; the second-half collapse showed what happens when India find their rhythm.
Frequently asked questions
What was the score in the Asian Champions Trophy final?
India beat Japan 4-1 in Mohali on 5 November 2026. Japan led 1-0 at half-time through Kazumasa Matsumoto; India scored four second-half goals through Shilanand Lakra, Dilpreet Singh, Jugraj Singh and Vivek Sagar Prasad.
How many Asian Champions Trophy titles has India won?
Six — in 2011, 2016, 2018, 2023, 2024 and 2026. It is a tournament record, and the 2026 title completes a hat-trick of consecutive championships.
Where was the final played?
At the Olympian Balbir Singh Senior International Hockey Stadium in Mohali, Punjab. The league stage was played in Jalandhar, and the semi-finals and final in Mohali.
Who took the bronze medal?
Malaysia, who beat South Korea 5-2 in the third-place play-off earlier on Thursday.
Did India lose any match in the tournament?
No. India finished the tournament unbeaten, winning every match, including an 8-1 semi-final victory over South Korea.
Key takeaways
- India beat Japan 4-1 in Mohali to win a record sixth men's Asian Champions Trophy title.
- Japan led 1-0 at half-time; India scored four goals in 12 second-half minutes to turn the final around.
- The title completes a hat-trick of consecutive championships (2023, 2024, 2026) — a tournament record.
- India finished the tournament unbeaten, with Malaysia taking bronze after a 5-2 win over South Korea.
What to watch next
India will carry this form into the next international season, with the question now whether the continental dominance can be matched against the world's best sides outside Asia. For Japan, the task is to close the gap shown in the second half in Mohali — the first half proved they can compete; the second showed how quickly India can punish a lapse. The next meeting between the two sides will be watched closely for whether Japan have learned that lesson.
