India Come From Behind to Beat Japan 4-1 and Win a Record Sixth Asian Champions Trophy Title

India are champions of Asia again — and this time, they had to do it the hard way.

The Indian men’s hockey team came from a goal down to beat Japan 4-1 in the final of the Men’s Asian Champions Trophy 2026 on Thursday, 5 November, at the Olympian Balbir Singh Senior International Hockey Stadium in Mohali. The win gave India a record sixth Asian Champions Trophy title and made them the first team ever to lift the trophy three times in a row.

For more than half the match, the title looked like it might slip away. Japan scored in the third minute, defended bravely, and went into half-time ahead. Then India produced a second-half burst that will be remembered for a long time: four goals, three of them in the final quarter, to turn a 1-0 deficit into a 4-1 win in front of a packed home crowd.

It was a fitting end to a perfect tournament. India won every one of their seven matches, scored freely throughout, and finished as the best team in Asia by a clear distance. Japan, meanwhile, must wait a little longer for a first Asian Champions Trophy title.

A final that started badly for India

Few in the Mohali crowd expected what happened in the opening minutes. Japan, playing in their third Asian Champions Trophy final, struck early. Kazumasa Matsumoto scored a field goal in the third minute, and suddenly the favourites were chasing the game.

It was the first time in the tournament that India had gone behind, and the shock showed. For the rest of the first half, India could not find a way through. Japan earned two penalty corners in the second quarter and defended with discipline. India, despite making 11 circle penetrations in the first two quarters, could not earn a single penalty corner of their own.

At half-time, the score was still 1-0 to Japan. The home crowd, which had packed the stadium expecting a celebration, had gone quiet. India had been the best team in the tournament by a long way, but finals are not won on paper — and Japan had a plan, and it was working.

Four goals turn the game around

Whatever head coach Craig Fulton said at half-time, it worked. India came out after the break with far more intent, and the pressure finally told in the 42nd minute. Shilanand Lakra found the equaliser with a close-range finish after a rebound from a penalty corner variation involving captain Harmanpreet Singh, Hardik Singh, Dilpreet Singh and Aditya Lalage. The crowd roared back to life.

From there, the floodgates opened. Dilpreet Singh put India ahead in the 48th minute after a move involving Sanjay and Hardik Singh. Then Jugraj Singh converted a penalty corner with a powerful drag-flick to make it 3-1. And in the 54th minute, Sukhjeet Singh completed the scoring, deflecting a slapshot by Vivek Sagar Prasad, to seal a 4-1 win.

Four goals in 12 minutes. A 1-0 deficit turned into a 4-1 victory. Japan, who had defended so well for so long, simply could not cope once India found their rhythm.

There was still a late scare of sorts. Japan earned one final penalty corner with 12 seconds remaining, but captain Raiki Fujishima’s drag-flick went wide. Moments later, the final hooter sounded, and the celebrations began.

The goals at a glance

• 3rd minute: Kazumasa Matsumoto puts Japan 1-0 ahead
• 42nd minute: Shilanand Lakra levels the score at 1-1
• 48th minute: Dilpreet Singh puts India 2-1 in front
• 53rd minute: Jugraj Singh converts a penalty corner to make it 3-1
• 54th minute: Sukhjeet Singh completes the scoring at 4-1 (deflecting Vivek Sagar Prasad’s slapshot)

A record that keeps on growing

The numbers behind this win tell the story of India’s dominance in Asian hockey.

This was India’s sixth Asian Champions Trophy title, adding to the crowns won in 2011, 2016, 2018, 2023 and 2024. Pakistan are the next most successful team, with three titles — so India are now three titles clear of the rest of the field.

It was also a third title in a row — 2023, 2024 and now 2026 — something no team had ever done before in this competition. India arrived in Punjab as five-time champions and two-time defending champions. They leave as six-time champions and the first team to complete a hat-trick of titles.

And they did it without losing a single match. India won all five of their league matches, thrashed South Korea 8-1 in the semi-final, and then beat Japan 4-1 in the final — seven wins from seven games. The final even repeated the scoreline of the league-stage meeting between the two sides in Jalandhar on 30 October, when India had also beaten Japan 4-1.

How India reached the final

India’s road to the title was a show of strength from start to finish.

The ninth edition of the Asian Champions Trophy was played from 27 October to 5 November 2026 across two cities in Punjab: the league stage in Jalandhar and the semi-finals and final in Mohali. India won every league match, then produced their most emphatic performance of the tournament in the semi-final, beating South Korea 8-1 at the Mohali stadium — the first international hockey match ever played at the venue, named after the legendary Olympian Balbir Singh Sr.

Japan’s route to the final was far tighter. Their semi-final against Malaysia ended goalless after regulation time, and Japan only went through after winning a penalty shootout 5-3. It was Japan’s third appearance in the final, and they arrived hoping to finally claim a first title.

In the bronze-medal match earlier on Thursday, Malaysia beat South Korea 5-2 to finish third.

Japan’s wait goes on

For Japan, this was a painful defeat — and a familiar one. They played with courage and organisation, led early, and for a long time looked capable of pulling off a huge upset. Their defence held firm for more than 40 minutes against the best attacking team in Asia.

But the second half showed the gap between the two sides. Once India scored the equaliser, Japan had no answer. Their wait for a first Asian Champions Trophy title continues, and they will look back at this final knowing they were 40 minutes away from history — and then watched it slip away in 12.

That is not to take anything away from Japan’s tournament. Reaching the final, beating Malaysia in a shootout, and leading India at half-time in Mohali are real achievements. They simply ran into a team that, on its day, is a level above everyone else in Asia.

What this win means for Indian hockey

This title matters for more than the trophy cabinet. Indian hockey has been building steadily over the past few years, and the Asian Champions Trophy hat-trick is the clearest proof yet that the team is not just the best in Asia — it is the best by a distance.

A few things stand out from this campaign:

• Strength in depth. Four different players scored in the final, and goals came from all over the team throughout the tournament. India do not depend on one star.
• Mental strength. Going behind in a home final, in front of a huge crowd, is the hardest test in sport. India stayed calm, trusted their plan, and turned the game around.
• A winning habit. Three titles in a row is not an accident. It is what happens when a team keeps winning, keeps improving, and refuses to settle.

For the players, this was also a chance to perform in front of home fans in Punjab, where hockey runs deep. The crowds packed the stadiums in both Jalandhar and Mohali, and the final gave them the ending they wanted.

The next challenge for this team will be to carry this form beyond Asia. The Asian Champions Trophy is a continental tournament, and India’s dominance at this level is now beyond question. The bigger tests — against the world’s best sides at global events — are where this team’s progress will really be judged. But a team that wins seven matches out of seven, and wins a final from a goal down, has every reason to believe it can compete with anyone.

What happens next

India will enjoy this one. A third straight Asian Champions Trophy title, a sixth overall, and an unbeaten run through the tournament is a campaign worth celebrating.

Japan will regroup and look ahead to their next chance to end their wait for a first title. Malaysia, who took bronze with their 5-2 win over South Korea, will also take confidence from their tournament.

For Indian hockey fans, the message of this final is simple: this team does not panic, does not give up, and does not lose finals. From 1-0 down at half-time to 4-1 winners — that is what champions do.

Frequently asked questions

Who won the Asian Champions Trophy 2026?

India won the Men’s Asian Champions Trophy 2026, beating Japan 4-1 in the final in Mohali on 5 November 2026.

Who scored in the India vs Japan final?

Kazumasa Matsumoto scored for Japan in the 3rd minute. India’s goals came from Shilanand Lakra (42nd minute), Dilpreet Singh (48th minute), Jugraj Singh (penalty corner, 53rd minute) and Sukhjeet Singh (54th minute).

How many Asian Champions Trophy titles has India won?

Six — in 2011, 2016, 2018, 2023, 2024 and 2026. India are the most successful team in the tournament’s history, and the first to win three titles in a row.

Where was the final played?

At the Olympian Balbir Singh Senior International Hockey Stadium in Mohali, Punjab, on Thursday, 5 November 2026. The league stage was played in Jalandhar.

Who won the bronze medal?

Malaysia beat South Korea 5-2 in the third-place play-off to take the bronze medal.

Was India unbeaten in the tournament?

Yes. India won all seven matches — five in the league stage, an 8-1 semi-final win over South Korea, and the 4-1 final win over Japan.

Sources

• Khel Now, “Men’s Hockey Asian Champions Trophy 2026: India score four in final 18 minutes to defeat Japan, lift third straight title” — https://khelnow.com/hockey/india-japan-final-report-mens-hockey-asian-champions-trophy-202611
• RevSportz, “India save their best for last to down Japan and lift sixth ACT title” — https://revsportz.in/india-save-their-best-for-last-to-down-japan-and-lift-sixth-act-title/
• MyKhel, “Asian Champions Trophy: India thrash Japan 4-1 to seal historic third consecutive title” — https://www.mykhel.com/hockey/asian-champions-trophy-india-thrash-japan-4-1-to-seal-historic-third-consecutive-title-458239.html
• Jugti, “India vs Japan ACT final, Mohali” — https://jugti.com/news/sports/india-japan-act-final-mohali/
• Dainik News Live, “India hammer Japan 4-1 to clinch sixth Asian Champions Trophy title” — https://dainiknewslive.in/india-hammer-japan-4-1-to-clinch-sixth-asian-champions-trophy-title/

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