India have conquered all, but Japan eye silencing Mohali crowd in ACT final

Even before the Asian Champions Trophy got underway in Jalandhar and Mohali, there was a sense of inevitability surrounding India's campaign. The expectation was that the hosts would be playing the final on Thursday, November 5, against the best of the rest. And that is exactly how things have unfolded.

India will walk out at the Olympian Balbir Singh Senior Hockey Stadium in Mohali with another title within touching distance. But standing between Harmanpreet Singh and his men and another piece of silverware is a Japanese side that has quietly emerged as their biggest challenger in the tournament.

For India, lifting the Asian Champions Trophy would be a fitting way to bring the 2026 season to a close. The Hockey Pro League campaign ended in disappointment once again, while their World Cup outing was far from satisfactory. However, there was one major target on the calendar: win gold at the Asian Games and secure direct qualification for the 2028 Olympics.

They achieved that objective. The ACT now offers India an opportunity to end the year on another high and add yet another title to their growing collection.

And there was little doubt about their place in the final.

India's sheer dominance was on display throughout the round-robin stage. Under Harmanpreet's leadership, the hosts hammered in 34 goals in their first five matches while conceding just five. Opponents struggled to contain their attacking firepower, with India's superiority sometimes making the contest look almost one-sided.

Wednesday's semi-final against Korea was another example. India put eight goals past their opponents, extending their remarkable run of dominance against the Koreans.

But amid all that attacking brilliance, there was one team that managed to make India uncomfortable. For nearly 47 minutes, Japan pushed the hosts before India eventually pulled away.

And that is precisely why Thursday's final promises to be a different challenge.INDIA WARY OF JAPAN THREAT

One of the biggest questions heading into the Asian Champions Trophy was whether any team could genuinely challenge India's dominance. Japan have emerged as the answer, and it is perhaps fitting that they will get another shot at the hosts in the final.

A closer look at Japan's campaign reveals a team that has steadily built momentum and developed a structure capable of troubling the Indian juggernaut.

Their victories have not always been spectacular, but they have been built around a clear playing philosophy. Japan began with a 3-2 win over Korea before grinding out a 1-0 victory against Bangladesh.

Then came their league-stage meeting with India. Although Japan eventually lost, they gave the hosts a serious scare and had them on the ropes for large periods of the contest.

Japan's aggressive high press disrupted India's rhythm from the outset. Even after India scored first, Harmanpreet and Co. struggled to find their usual fluency. Stray passes and turnovers became a recurring feature as the Japanese pressed relentlessly and forced errors.

Their persistence eventually paid off as they found an equaliser to make it 1-1. For a brief period, an upset did not seem entirely out of reach.

India eventually rediscovered their rhythm and secured the win, but Japan had made a statement. They had shown that India's attacking machine could be disrupted if an opponent got its tactics right.

A source close to the Indian team told India Today that Japan were expected to emerge as their opponents in the final. The Japanese have now justified that expectation by beating Asian Games silver medallists Malaysia twice. They first secured a 2-1 victory in the league stage before prevailing in a tense penalty shootout in the semi-final, following a 5-5 draw.

Japan now have the opportunity to pull off the biggest upset of the tournament. Their first step towards that goal is to play without fear.

"First of all, we want to be brave. We want to attack aggressively and also push when we are defending. That's the game plan," said Japan captain Raiki Fujishima.

The Japanese captain also knows that taking on India in Mohali will mean dealing with a passionate home crowd. However, that is not something his team intends to worry about.

"Even if there is an Indian crowd, it doesn't matter. We are focusing on what we have to do. We have to give everything we have. That's the Japanese style," said Fujishima.STICK TO THE BASICS

Japan might be India's biggest threat in the final, but there is little doubt that the hosts will start as overwhelming favourites.

Throughout the tournament, Craig Fulton has largely stuck to his trusted formula. There has been little need for radical experimentation, with India possessing enough quality to overwhelm most of their opponents.

The message has been simple: get the basics right, maintain structure and let the quality of the players do the rest.

Fulton will expect his players to follow that approach once again on Thursday, although Japan's ability to disrupt their rhythm means India will need to be particularly sharp.

"We want a fast start, and that's how we want to set it up. But at the same time, they're a good team. But it's about us, and it's about us taking our chances and defending well," said Fulton.

"You want to win the final, so you want to perform. So we've just got to come back to our basics, our basic game and real structure, and then we can play."

For that plan to work, India will also hope to have one of their key attacking players back in the mix. Abhishek's availability remains a concern after he twisted his ankle during the match against Malaysia.

The 27-year-old was seen warming up ahead of the semi-final and was named in the squad, but did not feature in the contest. His absence has left India working with a limited pool of players, with Mandeep Singh and Rajinder Singh also having to be managed carefully.

Fulton, however, is unwilling to take any unnecessary risks with the forward.

"He's close, but not yet. So I just give him more time, and the last thing we want to do is injure him, forcing him to play. He doesn't have to play, so we have time. But it's difficult because we only play with 15. So we've played three games now with 15 players. So it's, yeah. He's in the squad, so we'll see what happens," said Fulton.

When India and Japan take the field in Mohali on Thursday, both sides will know exactly what is at stake.

India will look to impose their attacking game, make the most of their chances and avoid falling into the traps Japan set for them in Jalandhar. The Japanese, meanwhile, will hope to reproduce the aggressive pressing that troubled the hosts earlier in the tournament.

India have the firepower, the experience and the home support. Japan have the confidence of knowing they can make life difficult for the favourites.

The stage is set for a final that could be far more competitive than India's dominant run through the tournament might suggest.INDIA VS JAPAN: HEAD-TO-HEAD

Japan have beaten India only three times since 2013, with their most recent victory coming in 2022. India, meanwhile, have won 27 of their 32 meetings, while two matches have ended in draws.ASIAN CHAMPIONS TROPHY: NOVEMBER 5 SCHEDULE

Final: India vs Japan – 7 PMWHERE TO WATCH ASIAN CHAMPIONS TROPHY LIVE?

The Asian Champions Trophy matches on November 5 will be broadcast live in India on Star Sports Select 2. The matches will also be available for livestreaming on the JioHotstar app and website.- Ends