After the delay caused by bad weather, India scored the first goal through Hardik Singh in the 8th minute, but the opponents managed to level very quickly. Later, Mandeep Singh secured the draw with a late equalizer.

Goals, Grit, and Weather-Wrecked Rhythm

Delays marred the start of the match. Heavy rains briefly washed out the timeline, leaving both teams to scramble for their focus once play was back on. The hosts were the top dogs from the first minute. After a slick move, Sukhjeet Singh fed Hardik, who escaped the defenders’ tight grip and, with a precise finish, made it 1-0 to India in the 8th minute of the game.

Nevertheless, South Korea responded immediately. Jihun Yang scored a penalty stroke just 12 minutes in, and two minutes later, Hyeonhong Kim from a penalty corner executed a drag-flick that changed the match by the 14th minute.

The next two quarters were very close. India had the ball most of the time but could not score. Sukhjeet missed an easy shot, Abhishek Nain had good chances but did not score, and even Harmanpreet Singh was not able to score from a penalty corner. Despite their intense pressure, the men in blue failed to score the winner before the end of the game.

What’s Next?

Both India and South Korea now stand apart with a point each after their meeting in the Super 4s group, thus putting them on equal footing, both with one point. While the stakes are high, it would not be easy for the dominating Indian side to get past their Asian rivals with ease.

On top of that, this result has made the other matches in this round even more crucial. India’s failure to score from their greater control of the ball highlights that there are still some issues with the attacking line.