India and Pakistan last played in hockey at the Asian Games in Delhi in 1982. Pakistan shocked India to win the gold medal match 7-1. On Thursday, in Incheon, South Korea, India beat Pakistan for the gold medal 4-2 on penalties, in which Sreejesh, India’s goalkeeper saved two shots. The match had ended 1-1 in regulation time after a gruelling encounter that saw both teams having multiple shots on goal blocked.



With this win, India automatically qualifies for the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. India last won an Asian Games hockey gold medal in 1998 in a 4-2 win on penalties against South Korea.

Pakistan got the better start and opened with a goal within the first five minutes. But India never gave up. It kept the pressure on the Pakistani defence in what turned out to be an end-to-end encounter. Pakistan was on the back foot in the first half, with Imran Butt, their goalkeeper and star performer keeping India at bay until the final few minutes of the second quarter, when Kothajit Singh Khadangbam, got down on one knee and directed the ball past a helpless Butt. The first half ended 1-1.

Star turn

In the second half also, Butt was the star of the game, defending with might and saving shot after shot. India with their fluid passing had more possession but had nothing to show for it as the second half finished 1-1 and a penalty shootout had to decide the outcome.

The penalty shootout was a tight affair. India took the first shot and gave itself the perfect start. Sreejesh followed that up with a brilliant save. With a back and forth affair, India ended up winning 4-2.

High-intensity game

This match was India’s revenge for the one played by the two bitter rivals in the group stage where Pakistan won 2-1. Today’s match was a no-holds barred, high-intensity match with lots of crowd support for both nations, albeit not a sell-out crowd. The Pakistani fans were the more vocal group throughout.

Pakistan had barely made the final, having beaten Malaysia 6-5 on penalties after it went to sudden death in a sensational match, while India put in a solid defensive performance to knock out South Korea 1-0 in the other semi-final.

Today’s game was the thirteenth Asiad meeting between the two, eight of those being summit clashes. With this win, India have now won four of those encounters, with the last one coming at the 1966 Bangkok Games.

Looking at the rivalry as a whole, this was the 160th meeting between the neighbours. Pakistan have won 78 of those, India 54 and 28 have been draws.