AHF Junior Hockey Asia Cup 2026: Skipper Anmol Ekka bags brace to pus…

The Indian junior men’s Hockey team secured a terrific 7-3 victory over South Korea to move within touching distance of the Asia Cup 2026 semi-finals. Although the match kept hanging on the balance for most of the time, the 60-minute game eventually proved to be an absolute goal fest with skipper Anmol Ekka scoring twice in his side’s massive win. lebandit.lat

South Korea had possibly every answer to India’s questions as they matched the intensity very well but the reigning champions eventually showed their class in the final quarter of the game, which saw them score three goals in the 10-goal thriller.

This result gave the Indians plenty of confidence ahead of their final pool match on Wednesday against Chinese Taipei. India currently has seven points from three games and a victory in their pool concluder will take them through to the semi-finals.

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How India orchestrated the win against South Korea

When the match began in Moqi, China, it seemed as if South Korea would give India a very tough challenge. After captain Anmol Ekka broke the deadlock in the fifth minute through a penalty corner, the Koreans responded within a minute with Dohyeon Choi also netting from a penalty corner. The first 15 minutes ended in 1-1 with all to play for in the next 45 minutes or so.

Lovenoor Singh found the back of the net in the 18th minute from open play but South Korea’s Hyoguk Yoo took only a minute to bring things back on level terms from a penalty corner. It seemed as if the second quarter was going to end at 2-2 but Ajeet Yadav’s strike in the 20th minute helped the Indians gain a one-goal lead before the half-time whistle.

Once the third quarter began, South Korea kept testing the Indian defence. Hyoguk Yoo was on target once again as he completed his brace just six minutes into the quarter, making it 3-3 before Prabhdeep Singh restored India’s lead towards the back end of the third 15-minute period.

It was in the concluding quarter that India showed their true colours in terms of attack as they ripped through the South Korean defence to bag three goals in the last 15 minutes.

Gursewak Singh extended India’s advantage in the 55th minute before Anmol, whose goalscoring tally has reached eight goals, struck again a minute later off a penalty corner to make it 6-3. Aryan Xess then completed the decisive spell in the 58th minute as India’s relentless pressure produced a seventh goal for a 7-3 win.

The defeat saw South Korea remain on six points ahead of their Pool A concluder against a tough opponent in Japan. The Indian team, meanwhile, will look to beat Chinese Taipei in their last game.

Japan have named their squad for a historic men’s Twenty20 international against India, the reigning ICC T20 World Cup champions and world’s top-ranked side, on September 22 at Sano International Cricket Ground.

The squad is the same group selected for Japan’s Asian Games campaign in Nagoya, which begins two days after the India match.

Japan’s all-time leading T20I run-scorer Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming will captain the side, with Ibrahim Takahashi and Declan Suzuki-McComb the only other players in the squad with more than 50 T20I appearances.

As part of their Asian Games preparations, Japan have left out players who are eligible for T20Is under ICC regulations but do not meet Asian Games eligibility requirements.

That has opened the door for emerging spin-bowling all-rounder Jake Kusuda-Nairn after his impressive domestic performances, while Tsuyoshi Takada returns to the squad after making his Japan debut at the ICC East Asia-Pacific Twenty20 Championship in 2013.

The squad also includes Wataru Miyauchi and Makoto Taniyama, both alumni of Japanese schools with cricket Bukatsu programmes.

Taniyama, a leg-spinner who modelled his action after watching videos of Australian great Shane Warne on YouTube, wears the number 23 shirt in his honour. He is also Japan’s leading wicket-taker across pathway and international competitions.

Squad: Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming (c), Charlie Hara-Hinze, Benjamin Ito-Davis, Alester Kadowaki-Fleming, Kohei Kubota, Jake Kusuda-Nairn, Wataru Miyauchi (wk), Reo Sakurano-Thomas, Alex Shirai-Patmore (wk), Shoma Sugaya-Slater, Declan Suzuki-McComb, Tsuyoshi Takada, Ibrahim Takahashi, Makoto Taniyama, Lachlan Yamamoto-Lake

Charlie Hara-Hinze, who was part of Japan’s Under-19 World Cup side that defeated Tanzania, is also included.

Spinner Benjamin Ito-Davis returns after a hand injury cut short his campaign in the East-Asia Pacific T20 World Cup 2028 Sub-Regional Qualifier.

Japan finished second in that tournament and remain in contention for qualification for the 2028 T20 World Cup. They finished level on points with Papua New Guinea but were edged on net run rate despite defeating the Barramundis on the final day.

The India fixture will launch “Sport 75”, an initiative stemming from an agreement reached at a summit between Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to promote exchanges and cooperation between the two countries through sport.

Japan will also play two T20Is against Hong Kong on September 19 and 20 before the Asian Games.

At the Games, they face Afghanistan on September 24 and Nepal on September 26, with a top-two finish required to reach the quarter-finals.

Bengaluru FC head coach Pep Munoz had only half a season to work with the team after taking charge midway through the previous campaign. This time, he has had a full pre-season to shape the squad according to his ideas. With several new signings, a number of promising academy players and established names such as Sunil Chhetri, Gurpreet Singh Sandhu and Ryan Williams, Munoz believes Bengaluru have the squad and preparation to challenge for the top honours.

In an exclusive interview, the Bengaluru FC coach spoke about the team’s pre-season, the decision to skip the Durand Cup, the new signings, the club’s young players, Chhetri’s role at 42, Ryan Williams’ versatility and his expectations for the upcoming ISL season.

Q: You joined Bengaluru FC midway through last season. This time, you have been with the team from the start of pre-season. How is the team shaping up?

Munoz: Last season was a short and unusual one in Indian football because of the delays and uncertainty around the preparations. Joining in the middle of the season also meant I did not have the benefit of a proper pre-season or enough time to understand the league and prepare the team.

This time, things are different. We have had a long pre-season, we have made some good signings, and we have the squad and facilities we need. I am very happy with the work we have done over these five weeks. The players are doing a fantastic job and we are well prepared.

Q: There have been several departures and arrivals. How do you assess the new-look squad?

Munoz: We are happy with the new additions. It is not simply about signing one or two players. We have a scouting team working on it, while also considering our budget and the current situation in Indian football.

Sometimes it is not easy to bring good profiles to this league, but we managed to do it. I believe our supporters will be happy with them.

Sandro Embalo is an experienced player in Indonesia and this part of the world. He is a good defender, comfortable with the ball and aggressive defensively. Borja gives us quality between the lines and can play as an attacking midfielder.

Manuel Iriondo is a proper number six. He is good in possession, safe on the ball, aggressive and capable of covering a lot of space. Mihailo is an experienced forward who has played in a tough league like Indonesia. He has played a lot of minutes there and is a very good finisher, with good link-up play and the ability to be clinical in front of goal.

Then we have Meno Koch, a right centre-back with a very good CV and experience in Europe. I am happy with the balance we have between the foreign and Indian players.

Q: Bengaluru have built a reputation for developing young players. Can we expect more academy graduates to feature this season?

Munoz: Definitely. I come from Barcelona, where we always look at young players coming through, and that was also something that attracted me to Bengaluru. The structure of the club, the academy, the BFC schools and the young teams are very good.

We already have some young players who were with the first team last season. During this pre-season, I also had the opportunity to work with five players from the B team. They have shown a good level, and some of them are continuing to train with us.

There are also some good players with the India U20 team. We have played friendly matches against them and there is a lot of talent there as well.

Q: Sunil Chhetri is now 42. What does he bring to Bengaluru FC at this stage of his career?

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Munoz: Sunil is very important in the dressing room and in the group. We are lucky to have a player and a person like him. He is always an example. He is competitive in training and very professional in everything he does, both on and off the pitch.

For younger players who want to have a long career, he is a great example. They have to take care of themselves, look after their nutrition, prepare properly and understand the game. Sunil has done all of that throughout his career.

People focus on whether he can play 90 minutes or not, but for me that is not the most important thing. Obviously, it is not the Sunil Chhetri that was 10 years ago. He had more speed and different skills then, but now he has more experience. He understands the game better, his positioning and his movements on the pitch. He does not need to do too much to be useful to the team.

He is 42, but 42 is just a number. Of course, he is not an 18-year-old anymore, but he has experience that not many players in this league have.

Q: What about Gurpreet Singh Sandhu? How important is his presence behind the defence?

Munoz: I only had the chance to work with him for the last two months of last season, so that was difficult for everyone because the preparation was unusual.

But this pre-season, I have seen him come in in very good shape. He has a lot of confidence playing with his feet, which is important for our game model. We need to give him the ball and have him find the free man, and he is working well on that.

Q: Ryan Williams is now an Indian. How do you see his role in the team this season?

Munoz: I said it last season and I will say it again: for me, he was probably the best foreigner in the league last season in terms of how he plays. His one-on-ones, the way he makes decisions and his overall contribution were very good. His numbers were also not bad.

I am happy with him, and this season he is fit and ready. He is going to give us a lot.

I also think he can play in different positions, not just on the right. He can play as an attacking midfielder, behind the number nine and even as a number nine at times, depending on whether we play with one or two players there.

Q: Bengaluru FC did not participate in the Durand Cup this time. Does that make the preparation more difficult?

Munoz: The decision was mainly because we did not know when the league would start. Normally, once you know the league date, you can go six or seven weeks back and plan your pre-season properly, including friendly matches.

We have already played four friendly matches and are planning at least three more.

Q: Bengaluru have a huge fan base, which also brings pressure. What kind of football can supporters expect this season?

Munoz: Pressure is always there in football, but the most important pressure is the one we put on ourselves. I see the level of the players every day in training. They cannot drop that level; they can only improve it.

We have a very good squad and good preparation. I came here to win. My target is to win games and fight for the trophy.

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The post “I came here to win and fight for the trophy”: Bengaluru FC head coach Pep Munoz appeared first on Sports News Portal | Revsportz.

Women’s Asia Cup 2026 PAK-W vs HK-W Highlights: Fatima Sana-led Pakistan Women secured a 72-run victory against Natasha Miles-led Hong Kong Women in the 11th match played at Dubai International Stadium, Dubai.

Women’s Asia Cup 2026 PAK-W vs HK-W Playing 11

Pakistan Women

Hong Kong Women

Natasha Miles(c), Mariko Hill, Yasmin Daswani(w), Kary Chan, Marina Lamplough, Maryam Bibi, Shanzeen Shahzad, Alison Siu, Iqra Sahar, Joyleen Kaur, Ruchitha Venkatesh

Women’s Asia Cup 2026 PAK-W vs HK-W Scoreboard

Women’s Asia Cup 2026 PAK-W vs HK-W Scorecard

Pakistan Women Batting

Hong Kong Women Bowling

Hong Kong Women Batting

Pakistan Women Bowling

Women’s Asia Cup 2026 PAK-W vs HK-W Highlights

To watch Women’s Asia Cup 2026 PAK-W vs HK-W Highlights, click >> HERE

Player of the Match

Nashra Sandhu | Pakistan Women