Thursday at the Asian Champions Trophy: Malaysia Can Take Control, Bangladesh Need a Response, India Face China
The rest day is over, and Thursday is the day the Asian Champions Trophy starts to take shape. Three games in Jalandhar, and all three of them matter.
Malaysia against South Korea opens it at 2:00pm PKT, and it’s the biggest game of the day for the table. Malaysia won the nine-goal opener against China 5-4, and a second win here puts them on six points with three games to play and one foot in the Mohali semi-finals. South Korea lost their opener 3-2 to Japan, and they can’t afford to lose again. Two defeats from two, with China, Bangladesh and India still to come in their run, is a hole that’s very hard to climb out of in a six-team league where only two teams miss the semis. Korea scored twice against Japan through penalty corners, so they know they can hurt teams. They just need to stop conceding at the other end for long enough to get a result.
Bangladesh against Japan follows at 4:15pm PKT, and it’s a very different kind of test for both sides. Bangladesh are coming off a 13-0 defeat to India, the heaviest possible start to a tournament, and their job on Thursday is simpler and harder at the same time: stay in the game, stay organised, and show the opener was a bad night rather than the level. Japan, meanwhile, won their opener 3-2 against Korea and will be expected to win this one. The danger for Japan is exactly that expectation. A comfortable win puts them on six points alongside Malaysia. A slip, and the whole middle of the table bunches up.
Then the night game, India against China at 6:30pm PKT. India are top of the table after that 13-0 win, top on goal difference by a distance, and they go in as heavy favourites. But China scored four against Malaysia on the opening day, two of them penalty corners from Chen Benhai, and they won’t walk into the Surjit Stadium short of belief. India’s challenge is a different one: back up a 13-0 with a professional performance, keep the goals coming, and don’t let a team that can score get a foothold. Harmanpreet Singh scored twice in the opener, Mandeep Singh got a hat-trick, and the crowd will expect more of the same. China would settle for a lot less than that.
Three games, three stories. Malaysia can take control of the group. Bangladesh can show they’re still in this tournament. India can take another step towards Mohali. Thursday in Jalandhar should tell us plenty.
Related links:
https://sportscursor.com/india-v-china-asian-champions-trophy-thursday-29-october-2026/
https://sportscursor.com/asian-champions-trophy-2026-day-1-malaysia-china-japan-korea-india-bangladesh-27-october-2026/
https://sportscursor.com/india-13-0-bangladesh-mandeep-hat-trick-asian-champions-trophy-27-october-2026/
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