By Shahid Khan 
Indian defender under pressure
In the much await clash of the table toppers at the Hero Asian Champions Trophy 2024, India edged Pakistan 2-1 after a thrilling match.
As expected, India, bronze medalist at the Paris Olympics coming into the match with perfect record of 4 victories in the tournament, started brightly and did not allow any meaningful Pakistani attacks.
However a scintillating solo run by the in-form Shahid Hannan stunned India as it led to a goal with Nadeem Ahmed tapping in from close range after 8 minutes.
Both teams lived up to the billing as the crowd were treated to end to end attacking hockey. India fought back and scored an equalizer in the 13th minute as Indian Captain Harmanpreet Singh made no mistake in converting their first penalty corner of the match and 6 minutes later grabbed a second through another penalty corner conversion.
Pakistan, earned their first penalty corner at the stroke of the half time, but Sufiyan Khan's drag-flick crashed on the bar.
India controlled the ball at the start of the third quarter, with flank-to-flank passing to push Pakistan deep into their circle. A miss tackle by Sufiyan Khan at the top of the circle earned India their 3rd penalty corner which was defended by the rusher out.
Green shirts increased their intensity leading to a series of penalty corners, but Indian defenders including a goal line stop denied Pakistan an equaliser and ended the quarter with a 2-1 lead.
India earned back-to-back penalty corners at the start of the final quarter, but Pakistan's defense averted the danger. Tempers flared as both teams pushed each other from one end to the other, searching for an opening. Ashraf Waheed Rana received a 10-minute yellow card for a physical foul on Jugraj Singh in India's circle.
Hampered by the loss of a player Pakistan were pegged back into defence.
With two minutes to go, Manpreet Singh received a yellow card, leaving both teams with 10 men apiece.
The defending champions then ran down the clock to edge past Pakistan in what was an intense clash of the tournament. Despite the defeat Green shirts maintained their 2nd position in the table and will play hosts China in the semi final on Monday.
Although the hosts China, are the lowest ranked team in the Tournament they have progressed to the semi finals after winning against Malaysia (4-2) and Japan (2-0).
In the previous edition of the tournament Pakistan had failed to reach the semi finals stage for the first time in the history of the tournament. In the process Green shirts also had to endure 10-2 defeat from India, their heaviest on record against them.
The other semi final will see Malaysia taking on the favourites India, while the wooden spoon will be contested by South Korea and Japan.
Fieldhockey Exclusive