Hockey: India eyes Asian Champions Trophy

Team India celebrates Harmanpreet Singh's (centre) goal v South Korea in the Asian Champions Trophy match at Muscat on Wednesday

India's penalty corner specialist Harmanpreet Singh said his team is focused on retaining the Asian Champions Trophy after it thrashed South Korea 4-1 in the last league outing here.

"The Indian team goes out looking for early goals every time. The team is maintaining its structure and focused on retaining the title," said Harmanpreet, who scored three goals against South Korea on Wednesday at the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex.

Harmanpreet

India stayed on top of the league standings with 13 points from five outings. Their semi-final opponent will be determined after the last round of league matches, although Malaysia, Pakistan and Japan have earned enough points to push South Korea and Oman out of the frame.

"The support from Indian fans here in Muscat has been wonderful. The fan support is always a big boost for us," said Harmanpreet. Harmanpreet made a dramatic entry into international hockey when he made his debut in the 2016 Sultan Azlan Shah Cup in Ipoh (Malaysia) and went on to represent India in the Champions Trophy in London and the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro within a couple of months. The spotlight has not left him since then. India next plays the semi-final on Saturday.

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