India, Pakistan to clash in Champions Trophy final
kuantan — India defeated South Korea in the semifinals of the Asian Champions Trophy hockey tournament here on Saturday to set up a title clash with arch-rivals Pakistan.
The Indians held off a strong challenge from the Koreans to win 5-4 (2-2) via penalty shoot-out in the first semi-final of the day.
The two sides were locked 2-2 at the end of the regulation time. For India, Talwinder Singh, Ramandeep Singh found the target in the regulation time while Seo Inwoo and Yang Jihun scored for the Koreans. In the penalty shoot-out, Sardar Singh, Ramandeep Singh, Akashdeep and Rupinder Pal Singh scored as India entered the final.
Rupinder also stepped up to convert the penalty stroke which was awarded to India after South Korean goalkeeper D. Hong hit the legs of Birendra Lakra with his stick during the fifth and final shootout effort.
Indian captain and goalkeeper PR Sreejesh, who took his place under the bar after being sidelined for two round-robin matches due to an ankle injury, stopped the fifth and final South Korean player in the penalty shoot-out, paving the way for India’s win.
The second semifinal also had to be decided by penalty shoot-out as Pakistan scripted a 3-2 (1-1) victory over gritty Malaysia.
The arch-rivals from the subcontinent will meet in the final on Sunday. Earlier, India tried to build up the early momentum right from the push-back at the Wisma Belia Hockey Stadium by penetrating the Korean defence.
But the South Koreans stood solid against India’s probing attacks as they denied many attempts by applying sharp man-to-man marking. Despite the various failed attempts, the Roelant Oltmanscoached side played with the same attacking strategy and soon it paid off as in the dying minutes of the first quarter.
Talwinder, who was not in his prime touch in this tournament, found some space and played a reverse hit to give India a vital 1-0 lead in the 14th minute.
Soon after conceding a India beat S.Korea in the semifinals goal, South Korea started counter-attacking and received their first penalty corner of the match but missed the chance for an equaliser.
In the second quarter, the South Koreans seemed much more disciplined and it paid off as a defensive error by Rupinder saw South Korea equalising in the 20th minute of the game. Inwoo slammed into the Indian net after Rupinder failed to trap the ball cleanly.
India, unlike the first quarter, tried to bring down the pace of the game. It seemed like they lost their momentum after the South Korean equaliser but soon the Indian midfield started rotating the ball with purpose. —