In a dramatic finale at the Maulana Bhasani Hockey Stadium, South Korea clinched the Men’s Asian Champions Trophy title through a penalty shootout. While Japan missed out on the championship after failing to convert two of their shots, the result still marked a milestone for them as they earned their first silver medal. The match was a testament to Korean determination, as they refused to give up and managed to equalize before the final whistle.
Lee Hye-Seung became the hero for South Korea, netting the fourth goal in the shootout to seal the victory. Japan had seemed poised for win with a 3-1 advantage, but they couldn't withstand a late Korean onslaught that saw two quick goals find the net. The tension peaked during the shootout, where Japan's errors on the first and third attempts blew their chances of winning. The game had started with South Korea taking an early lead in the 8th minute thanks to Jeong Jun-woo. However, Japan quickly regained control, scoring three times in a span of just 14 minutes. This comeback included an equalizer by Ken Nagayoshi and a sharp goal by Ryoma Ooka right before halftime.
In a well contested final, South Korea took an early lead after Jeong Jun-woo opened the scoring in the 8th minute. But the Japanese never looked back and bounced back well as a team. Very soon, Japan found the momentum and scored three goals in just 14 minutes. While Ken Nagayoshi scored the equalizer, Ryoma Ooka cleverly scored the second just before half-time.
Japan maintained their momentum early in the second half, extending their lead in the 38th minute when Yoshika Kirishita sliced through the defense to score. For a while, it seemed the trophy was theirs. However, South Korea shifted into high gear, launching a fierce attack. In a stunning turn of events, Jang Jong-hyun scored twice late in the game, including a dramatic equalizer in the final seconds of the 60th minute to force the match into penalties.
During the high-stakes shootout, South Korean captain Lee Jung-jun, along with Ji Woo-Cheon and Hwang Tae-il, all scored before Lee Hye-Seung hit the winner. Japan struggled under the pressure from the start, with Raiki Fujishima missing the opening shot. The dream officially ended when Kosei Kawabe missed the third attempt, rendering the successful goals from captain Seren Tanaka and Ooka irrelevant.
Earlier that day, the bronze medal match saw India edge out Pakistan with a 4-3 victory. India took an immediate lead in the 2nd minute through Harmanpreet Singh, though Afraz quickly brought Pakistan back on level terms. Pakistan then took a 2-1 lead at the start of the second half. After a period of intense pressure, India's Sumit scored early in the final quarter to tie the game.
The closing 15 minutes provided the most drama, as goals from Varun and Akashdeep gave India a two-goal advantage. Although Nadeem scored for Pakistan to make the ending tense, India managed to hold their nerve and secure the win.