Craig Fulton Praises Young Indian Hockey Team for Winning Asian Champions Trophy
Craig Fulton, the chief coach, praised the young Indian hockey team for their unbeaten run in the Asian Champions Trophy. The team faced challenges but showed resilience and talent throughout the tournament.
Hero of the Tournament
Captain Harmanpreet Singh, who led India to a bronze medal in Paris, was named Hero of the Tournament. He scored at crucial stages and set up the winning goal in the final.
Coach’s Remarks
Chief coach Fulton said, “It was tough for us, a good one in the end. We had to work hard, it was a really good fight. Seven games and we played some good hockey but we just couldn’t score tonight but we got the result in the end.”
Fulton added, “It has been a roller-coaster, Paris and what happened there and just eight days with the family. To come here with a young group and some new players, the boys were tired but we found a way and that’s always the sign of a good team.”
Fulton believes this team has the potential to go a long way and build a solid unit for the future.
Skipper’s Joy
Skipper Harmanpreet was thrilled with the result as it showed the next lot was ready to take on the responsibility as India prepares for bigger challenges.
India’s Results in the Asian Champions Trophy
| Match | Result |
|---|---|
| Match 1 | India 3-0 China (India: Sukhjeet Singh 14′, Uttam Singh 27′, Abhishek 32′) |
| Match 2 | India 5-1 Japan (India: Sukhjeet Singh 2′, 60′, Abhishek 2′, Sanjay 17′, Uttam Singh 54′; Japan: Matsumoto Kazumasa 41′) |
| Match 3 | India 8-1 Malaysia (India: Raj Kumar Pal 3′, 25′, 33′, Araijeet Singh Hundal 6′, 39′, Jugraj Singh 7′, Harmanpreet Singh 22′, Uttam Singh 40′; Malaysia: Akhimullah Anuar 11′) |
| Match 4 | India 3-1 South Korea (India: Harmanpreet Singh 9′, 43′, Araijeet Singh Hundal 8′; South Korea: Jihun Yang 30′) |
| Match 5 | India 2-1 Pakistan (India: Harmanpreet Singh 13′, 19′; Pakistan: Ahmad Nadeem 8′) |
| Semi-final | India 4-1 South Korea (India: Harmanpreet Singh 19′, 45′, Uttam Singh 13′, Jarmanpreet Singh 32′; South Korea: Yang Ji-Hun 33′) |
| Final | India 1-0 China (India: Jugraj Singh 51′) |
Doubts Revealed
Craig Fulton -: Craig Fulton is the chief coach of the Indian hockey team. He helps the players train and improve their skills.
Asian Champions Trophy -: The Asian Champions Trophy is a hockey tournament where teams from Asia compete to see who is the best.
Harmanpreet Singh -: Harmanpreet Singh is the captain of the Indian hockey team. He is a very good player and leads the team in matches.
Hero of the Tournament -: Hero of the Tournament is an award given to the best player in the tournament. Harmanpreet Singh won this award.
bronze medal in Paris -: A bronze medal is a prize for coming third in a competition. The Indian hockey team won this medal in a tournament held in Paris.
resilience -: Resilience means being strong and not giving up, even when things are tough. The Indian hockey team showed resilience by winning despite challenges.
China, Japan, Malaysia, South Korea, and Pakistan -: These are countries in Asia. The Indian hockey team played against teams from these countries and won.