New Delhi, Sept. 17: Harmanpreet Singh provided the assist, Jugraj Singh scored the winner as an unlikely combination gave India their fifth men’s Asian Champions Trophy title after a tight final at at Moqi Hockey Training Base in the China Daur Ethnic Park, Hulunbuir on Tuesday.

India were frustrated by a superb defensive showing in the first half by hosts China in the final. After 2 quarters, the scoreboard read 0-0 as India kept probing for the opening goal while China too hard their moments on the counter where Indian defence had to stay alert. China’s Wang Weihao had a storming first half in goal for China.

After their bronze medal at the Paris Olympics just over a month back, the Indian men’s hockey continued their fine run of form and made it back-to-back Asian Champions Trophy titles, after winning the title in Chennai last year.

India have been notching up win after win in Moqi, but will faced a resolute Chinese side buoyed by a vocal local crowd.

India had won all their five matches in the group stage before prevailing comfortably in the semifinal too. On Monday, India registered a 4-1 win over Korea in the Semi-Final as Uttam Singh (13’) gave India the lead in the first quarter, followed by goals from Harmanpreet Singh (19’, 45+’) and Jarmanpreet Singh (32’). Jihun Yang (33’) scored the only goal for Korea. In the other semifinal, China stunned Pakistan, prevailing 2-0 in a shootout to enter the final of this tournament for the first time ever. A team on the rise, China came through regulation time with a 1-1 draw and then did enough in the penalty shootout where Pakistan badly faltered.-Agencies