India Beat Pakistan 5-3 To Enter U18 Men’s Asia Cup Final In Thriller

India produced a dramatic late surge to defeat Pakistan 5-3 in a thrilling U18 Men’s Asia Cup semi-final on Friday, staging a remarkable comeback from 2-3 down in the final quarter to book their place in the tournament final. The match began cautiously, with both sides contesting fiercely in midfield before India struck first in the 12th minute. A sharp attacking move forced a defensive error inside the Pakistan circle, earning India a penalty stroke, which forward Ashish Tani Purti converted confidently to give his side a 1-0 lead at the end of the opening quarter.

Pakistan responded strongly in the second quarter, increasing pressure through sustained attacks and earning their first penalty corner in the 16th minute. India’s defence, led by goalkeeper Ayush Rajak, stood firm to block a powerful drag-flick attempt. However, Pakistan eventually broke through in the 27th minute when Adeel intercepted a pass and finished clinically to level the score 1-1 at half-time.

The third quarter saw a rapid exchange of goals as India regained the lead through Shahrukh Ali in the 35th minute, only for Pakistan to respond almost immediately with a field goal by Muhammad Farhan Aslam in the 37th minute. Pakistan then moved ahead for the first time in the 42nd minute when Uzair Ahmad Qureshi converted a penalty corner, giving them a 3-2 advantage heading into the final quarter. With their tournament hopes on the line, India launched an aggressive offensive in the final 15 minutes.

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Momentum shifted further when Pakistan’s Muzammil Saeed received a green card in the 46th minute, allowing India to intensify pressure and win consecutive penalty corners. Ashish Tani Purti equalised in the 49th minute with a powerful drag-flick to make it 3-3. India maintained relentless pressure and capitalised on repeated penalty corner opportunities. In the 53rd minute, Ashish completed his hat-trick with another precise drag-flick, putting India ahead 4-3 and swinging the match decisively in their favour.

With time running out, India struck again in the 56th minute through yet another penalty corner conversion from Ashish, completing a remarkable four-goal performance and extending the lead to 5-3. The Indian defence held firm in the closing stages to secure a famous victory over their arch-rivals. With the win, India advanced to the final, where they will face hosts Japan, setting up a high-stakes clash for the U18 Men’s Asia Cup title on Saturday.

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