~Mohammed Raheel (15′) scored the winner for India~
Ipoh, Malaysia, November 23, 2025: The Indian men’s hockey team opened their Sultan Azlan Shah Cup 2025 campaign with a 1-0 win against Korea at the Sultan Azlan Shah Stadium in Ipoh, Malaysia on Sunday. Mohammed Raheel (15′) scored the only goal of the match to help the Indian team cross the line.
India started the game in promising fashion, stringing together neat passes and dominating possession in the opening exchanges. After a period of early pressure, Sukhjeet Singh came close to opening the scoring, hitting the post from close range. Team India finally made their positive starting count when Mohammed Raheel (15′) finished off a well-executed team move to give his side a 1-0 lead at the end of the first quarter.
As Korea tried to catch up in the second quarter, they managed to create a few chances on the counterattack. However, Mohith HS denied them an equalizer with a sharp save, keeping India ahead after an impressive first-half performance.
Looking for a second goal, India flew off the blocks to start the second half. They continued to push Korea into the background with a few Penalty Corners chances, but they failed to yield results. As time ticked down in the third quarter, India had to dig deep in defence, with Pawan called into action on a few occasions to ensure their lead remained intact heading into the final quarter.
India upped the ante in the fourth quarter as they looked to put the result beyond doubt. Kim Jaehan was the busier of the two goalkeepers as he denied Abhishek from close range, giving Korea a fighting chance inside seven minutes. The Koreans were persistent in their search for an equalizer, but the Indian defense was determined to deny them any chance.
With less than a minute to play, Korea had the opportunity to steal a point from a penalty corner. However, Mohith HS stood up straight and extended a leg to close the door again. India eventually held on and secured a hard-fought victory thanks to their comprehensive performances at both ends of the pitch.
India will next play Belgium on November 24 at 3:30 PM IST. All matches of the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup 2025 will be broadcast live on FanCode.