In the opening match of the Asian Hockey Champions Trophy 2024, India began their title defense with a dominant 3-0 victory over China. India took control early on, with Sukhjeet Singh scoring the first goal in the 1st quarter. Uttam Singh and Abhishek extended the lead in the 2nd and 3rd quarters, securing a comfortable win for India. China struggled against the relentless Indian attack, leaving them unable to mount a comeback.
In the other match of the day, Malaysia fought back from a 2-0 deficit to secure a 2-2 draw against Pakistan. Despite Pakistan’s strong start with goals from Sufyan Khan and Zikriya Hayat, Malaysia’s Aiman Rozemi equalized in the final quarter to salvage a point.
Earlier in the day, South Korea and Japan also played out an exciting 5-5 draw, setting the stage for a thrilling tournament ahead.