India came from a goal down to beat Japan 4-1 in the Asian Champions Trophy final, scoring four times in the second half through Lakra, Dilpreet Singh, Jugraj Singh and Vivek Sagar Prasad. The hosts claimed a record sixth title and a third in a row.
Mohali, India: Japan needed one chance to turn a final on its head, and Kazumasa Matsumoto took it in the third minute. India then spent 39 minutes unable to reply, before answering four times in the space of 12.
Matsumoto strikes first
Matsumoto won the ball on the left, carried it into the circle and drove a reverse hit past the Indian goalkeeper. It was the only goal of the first half, and Japan went into the break a goal to the good in a tournament they had never won.
The hosts had arrived as overwhelming favourites. They had won all five league matches, beating Japan 4-1 in the group stage, and had just thrashed South Korea 8-1 in the semi-final. In the final, though, their chances went begging, and Harmanpreet Singh’s early penalty-corner attempts were saved.
Lakra levels, Dilpreet turns it
The breakthrough came in the 42nd minute. Another Harmanpreet attempt from a penalty corner was kept out, but Shilanand Lakra was waiting at close range and finished after Aditya Lalage’s pass to make it 1-1.
Six minutes later India were in front. Hardik Singh created the move and Dilpreet Singh finished it in the 48th minute, a field goal that swung the momentum of the final decisively towards the hosts.
Jugraj and Prasad finish the job
The third came from the set piece India had been waiting on. Jugraj Singh drag-flicked a penalty corner home in the 53rd minute to make it 3-1.
The fourth followed within a minute. Japan’s goalkeeper saved Lakra’s attempt, but the rebound fell to Vivek Sagar Prasad, who hit it into the net in the 54th minute. Japan won a penalty corner in the closing seconds and could not convert it.
A record sixth title
The victory was India’s sixth Asian Champions Trophy title, extending their own record after wins in 2011, 2016, 2018, 2023 and 2024. It was also their third in a row, and it came at the end of a campaign in which they won all seven of their matches.
For Japan, the final ended in familiar disappointment. They have still not won the title, and they could not repeat the shock they had briefly threatened in the opening minutes.
Result (Asian Champions Trophy final, Olympian Balbir Singh Senior International Hockey Stadium, Mohali, 5 November 2026): India 4 (Shilanand Lakra 42’, Dilpreet Singh 48’, Jugraj Singh 53’, Vivek Sagar Prasad 54’) beat Japan 1 (Kazumasa Matsumoto 3’). Half-time: Japan 1-0.
