India vs South Korea Semi-finals Live Updates, Men's Hockey Asian Champions Trophy 2026: Sukhjeet, Dilpreet make it 5-1 for India
(Courtesy : Hockey India)
India thrashed Korea 8-0 in the league stage
6:30 pm: Hello and welcome to Khel Now’s live blog for the India vs South Korea semi-final match in Men’s Hockey Asian Champions Trophy 2026. Please wait for the blog to load!
The Indian men’s hockey team will look to take another step towards defending their title on Wednesday when they face South Korea in the semi-final of the Men’s Hockey Asian Champions Trophy 2026.
The tournament moves from Jalandhar, which hosted the league stage, to Mohali’s Olympian Balbir Singh Senior International Hockey Stadium.
India enter the knockout stage unbeaten, having won all five of their league-stage matches, including a dominating 8-0 victory over South Korea in the last league game in Jalandhar on Monday.
India finished the league stage at the top of the standings with 15 points, scoring 34 goals and conceding just five.
Also Read: Hockey: India vs South Korea last five meetings
The team will now look to carry that form into the semi-final as they chase a sixth Asian Champions Trophy title.
India are the most successful side in the tournament’s history, having won the trophy in 2011, 2016, 2018 (joint winners with Pakistan), 2023 and 2024.
Semi-final Time!! 🏑
— Khel Now (@KhelNow) November 4, 2026
Defending champions and hosts India take on South Korea for a place in the title match at Men's Hockey Asian Champions Trophy 2026. 🇮🇳🇰🇷 pic.twitter.com/AqRxWBNEdh
The two teams will meet for the second time in three days, but the semi-final presents a different challenge for both sides.
India not only dominated their league-stage encounter in this tournament, but also hammered Korea 8-2 at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games 2026 in September on their way to winning the gold medal, recording their biggest victory over the side in the Games’ history.
The Indian team will look to maintain the same structure and attacking intent that helped them finish the league stage with five wins, but they will need to be mindful of Korea’s response after the heavy defeat.
Also Read: Hockey: India vs South Korea head-to-head record
India’s Chief Coach Craig Fulton has warned the team against complacency, adding that the semi-final will be a fresh contest. “The pressure will be different. We need a good start, that’s going to be the key,” he said after Monday’s win over the Korean side.
The impressive league-stage performance from India saw their attacking strength spread across the forward line, with Sukhjeet Singh and Dilpreet Singh among those in good form. Both have scored four goals in the tournament, while Abhishek has three, though he missed the last match due to an injury.
Captain Harmanpreet Singh remains the tournament’s leading scorer with nine goals. Among the other drag-flickers in the Indian team, Jugraj Singh has scored three goals.
Korea, meanwhile, will need to find a way to contain India’s attacking play and avoid conceding penalty corners. But the Indian forwards have shown that the in-form hosts can also score from open play, giving the defending champions more than one route to goal.
Where and when will India vs South Korea semi-final match take place in Men’s Hockey Asian Champions Trophy 2026?
The semi-final match will be played at the Olympian Balbir Singh Senior International Hockey Stadium in Mohali on October 4 (Wednesday). It is scheduled to begin at 7 pm IST.
What is the head-to-head between India and South Korea in last five meetings?
India have won four of their last five meetings against Korea, with another ending in a draw. In their most recent clash at the Men’s Hockey Asian Champions Trophy 2026, India thrashed Korea 8-0.
Who is the favourite to win the India vs South Korea semi-final match in Men’s Hockey Asian Champions Trophy 2026?
India are the overwhelming favourites given their superiority in rankings and form. Also playing at home, India are the only team still unbeaten in the tournament and finished the league stage with a perfect a five out of five wins.
For more updates, follow Khel Now on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram; download the Khel Now Android App or IOS App and join our community on Whatsapp & Telegram