India made an incredible comeback against Malaysia in the 2023 AFC Asian Cup final 4-3 to claim a record fourth title at the Radhakrishnan Mayor Stadium in Chennai on Saturday. 12 August).
The thrilling final began with Malaysia taking the first beat. However, India's Akashdeep was quick to block the ball, looking to start attacking soon. Malaysia's Azrai attempted to break into the Indian box from the left but was quickly blocked by Jarmanpreet's solid defense.
Vivek saved India in an important way as Saari, after a smooth Malaysian arrangement on the right, tried to win the ball inside the box. Vivek's interception and then push down the right flank was an important counter-attack. After a bad tackle on Karthi, India was awarded a corner. The stage was ready for Jugraj, who unleashed a powerful dribble past the Malaysian goalkeeper and defenders to give India a 1-0 lead in the 9th minute.
However, Malaysia responded quickly with Arzai's equalizer in the 14th minute after a failed pass from Hasan. The first half ended in a stalemate with a 1-1 draw. In the second half, Malaysia dominated the game by taking advantage of their corners.
Although he missed the first, Rahim, a seasoned player, successfully drilled through the Indian defense and keeper 18 minutes into the match. This gave Malaysia a 2-1 lead. Meanwhile, India's Mandeep tries to make a mighty tomahawk shot from the right but it misses the goal. Malaysia continued to extend the lead to 3-1 in the 27th minute with Aminudin's high shot from the corner leaving the Indian goalkeeper completely helpless. The first half ended with the advantage of Malaysia leading 2 goals.
In the thrilling second half, Sumit received an air ball close to the penalty area from the Indian side. Unfortunately, no other Indian player capitalized on his shot in the circle. For the Malaysian, it was Jali who made a decisive push into the box. However, his back shot was thwarted by a superb Pathak save - renewing the Indians' hopes and keeping them in the game. Malaysia, mercilessly, hit back with a determined Jazlan corner, which was again saved to the relief of the Indian fans. Taking advantage of that momentum, India mounted a counter-attack, with Mandeep's shot being blocked and Jarmanpreet's effort unfortunately going off target.
As tensions rose, Rahim of the Malaysian side made a foul that cost India a penalty. Harmanpreet overcame the challenge and skillfully put the ball high, helping India to have an important goal in the 44th minute. The scoreboard is now India 2-3 Malaysia. Team India charged again. Harmanpreet plowed the ball wisely, unleashing a series of final passes that found Karthi. He found Gurjant in a favorable position, allowing him to score a goal and level the score 3-3.
At the end of the third inning, both teams played a spectacular hockey game, leaving spectators and players alike restless. The final round of the exciting match began amid the deafening shouts of the crowd. Indian star player Manpreet took on the task, trying to penetrate the Malaysian defense. However, his attempt was unsuccessful as the ball got out of his control. That counter-attack earned Malaysia a corner, and the pressure increased.
