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India defeated Malaysia 2-1 in the Sultan of Johor Cup, with goals from Gurjot Singh and Sourabh Anand Kushwaha, advancing to a record eighth final against Australia.
(Credit: Hockey India)
India triumphed over hosts Malaysia with a 2-1 victory in their final group game, advancing to the final of the Sultan of Johor Cup junior men’s hockey tournament on Friday.
India capitalized on two penalty corners, with Gurjot Singh scoring in the 22nd minute and Sourabh Anand Kushwaha in the 48th minute, securing the win and setting up a final clash against Australia on Saturday.
Malaysia’s goal came from Naaveenesh Panicker in the 43rd minute.
This marks India’s record eighth final appearance at the Sultan of Johor Cup in their 12 participations.
Rain Frustrates Both Sides Initially
Both teams struggled initially, finding the wet conditions challenging after the match started late due to rain.
India attempted to surprise Malaysia with long aerial balls early on, but this strategy did not yield significant results.
As the pitch improved, India began the second quarter aggressively and earned two consecutive penalty corners. They nearly took the lead, but Malaysian goalkeeper Haziq Hairul and the crossbar denied Araijeet Hundal’s rebound hit.
In the 22nd minute, Gurjot found the net with a simple tap-in from a rebound after the initial penalty corner effort was saved by the Malaysian goalkeeper.
India went into halftime with a narrow one-goal lead but missed numerous chances, converting only one of nine penalty corners in the first two quarters.
After the break, India continued to pressure the Malaysian defence, with the home team’s goalkeeper making another crucial save in the 35th minute.
Malaysia equalized in the 43rd minute, with Naaveenesh scoring from close range as the Indian defenders failed to clear the ball.
India Bounces Back To Hold Lead
India quickly regained their lead five minutes later when an unmarked Kushwaha scored from a rebound in a one-on-one situation with the Malaysian goalkeeper.
India squandered another penalty corner in the 53rd minute due to a stopper’s mistake in controlling Hundal’s injection.
Seeking an equalizer, Malaysia pushed forward, earning two penalty corners, but the Indian defence remained resolute.
In the final quarter, the Indians displayed commendable composure and alertness, successfully defending against Malaysia’s aggressive attacks with solid defending and man-to-man marking.
(with PTI inputs)
After training in the field of broadcast media, Siddarth, as a sub-editor for News18 Sports, currently dabbles in putting together stories, from across a plethora of sports, onto a digital canvas. His long-term…Read More
After training in the field of broadcast media, Siddarth, as a sub-editor for News18 Sports, currently dabbles in putting together stories, from across a plethora of sports, onto a digital canvas. His long-term… Read More
October 17, 2025, 20:27 IST
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