India go down fighting in men's hockey final

Defending champions India went down fighting to South Korea 3-4 in a pulsating men's hockey final in the Asian Games on Saturday.

The Koreans, who had won the gold medal at the 1986 and 1994 Games, led 2-0 at half-time.

Down by three goals, the Indians staged a solid recovery in the second half and drew level with seven minutes to go. But the South Koreans scored from a penalty-corner two minutes from the end to clinch the issue.

Kang Keon [23rd minute], Yeo Woon [31st minute], Song Tae [44th minute] and Yeo Woon [68th minute] scored for South Korea, while for India, Jugraj Singh scored twice, in the 48th and 60th minutes through a penalty-stroke and penalty-corner respectively, and Gagan Ajit Singh got the other goal in the 53rd minute.

Earlier, Malaysia won its first Asian Games men's field hockey medal since 1990 and prevented Pakistan from taking one home for the first time in 44 years.

Malaysia won the bronze medal, prevailing 4-2 in the tie-breaker after the two teams were level 1-1 in regulation period and after a sudden-death extra-time.

After a forgetful first 45 minutes, during which they conceded three goals, India counter punched superbly and almost had Korea on the mat after levelling the score 3-3. But in the end the Koreans had the last laugh, scoring the winner in the dying minutes to avenge the defeat they suffered against India in the final of the last Asiad at Bangkok.

Young Jugraj Singh, who started India's recovery by scoring the first goal and then made it 3-3, almost turned hero before he shoulder charged a Korean inside the 25-yard line to concede a penalty-corner, two minutes from the end, from which Korea scored the winner, sparking off celebrations in the packed stadium.

India had lost to South Korea 2-4 in the recent Champions Trophy and held them 1-1 in the Asian Games pool match last week.

Though disappointed at not being able to defend the gold, Indian coach Rajinder Singh, said the team showed great character in fighting back.

"In the first half we failed to click but in the second half we came back strongly and the players tried their best to win the gold," he said.

India and Korea began cautiously and tried to assess each other in the opening minutes of the final. The Koreans had done their homework well and closely marked India's danger men Gagan Ajit Singh and Dhanraj Pillay. The ploy worked well and this blunted the Indian attack.

As the match progressed past the first quarter, the Koreans slowly took charge with more of ball possession while the Indians began to make basic errors in trapping and passing.

The Koreans played at a good speed and waited for India to commit mistakes. Pillay, playing as a withdrawn forward, fumbled for most part of the first half and Gagan also failed to break the shackles of some tight marking.

On the other hand, the Korean forwards kept threatening the Indian goal and the pick of their strikers was Seung Tae Song, who played in the German league for almost two years. His marker Ignace Tirkey had a tough time and more than once Song slipped past him.

Despite skipper Dilip Tirkey and Jugraj showing their class with quick and effective clearances, Song always lurked around looking for an opening and was instrumental in Korea taking the lead in the 24th minute.

He sped down the right, dodged Ignace Tirkey and made his way into the 25-yard area. He then sent in a quick cross which was deflected into goal by Keon Wook Kang.

India counter-attacked well and almost restored parity in the very next minute but Gagan Ajit's attempt was saved by the Korean goalkeeper.

The Indian coach substituted a half-fit Prabhjot Singh in place of Daljit Singh and Vikram Pillay for Jugraj Singh. But the substitutions did not make any appreciable change to India's fortunes as Korea stretched their lead, thanks to a mistake by Viren Rasquinha, whose stick checking led to a penalty-corner.

Won Kon Yeo converted without any fuss to give Korea a 2-0 lead at the break.

Korea almost sounded India's death knell in the 44th minute when they went 3-0 ahead with Song making good use of a tailor-made cross from the right by Seong Jung Kang.

But showing great tenacity India struck thrice in the space of 12 minutes to draw level.

India's first goal came only in the 48th minute. Bimal Lakra laid a through ball for an ideally-placed Deepak Thakur, who was obstructed. Irish umpire Colin Hutchinson promtly awarded a penalty-stroke. Jugraj scored from the spot, scooping to the left side of goalkeeper Kim, who dived the other way.

The Koreans were rattled and suddenly the Indians were on song, doing everything right. The flow in attacks was back and the Koreans wilted under pressure.

Gagan scored India's second goal in the 53rd minute following a combined move by Dhanraj and Deepak Thakur. Egged on by the vociferous Indian supporters who drowned the drum beats of the home crowd, India equalised in the 60th minute through a penalty-corner, as Jugraj Singh sounded the board with a brilliant drag flick.

The Indians were now looking for the winner and the Koreans were clearly down.

With only five minutes to go for the hooter, Korean substitute Jong Ho Seo almost scored. Being challenged by Ignace and Jugraj, he tried a reverse hit but the ball flew just over the crosspiece.

With two minutes remaining, the Koreans got the penalty-corner they wanted courtesy Jugraj. Woon Kon Yeo pushed the ball past India's substitute 'keeper Bharat Chetri, who did not know much about the brilliant flick.

With the gold medal almost assured, the Koreans freezed the ball in the last 50 seconds before jumping up in joy.

Malaysia win in tie-breaker

Winning its first medal since the Asian Games in Beijing, Malaysia took its tally to six Asian Games bronze. Pakistan is a seven-time winner of the Asian Games tournament and has won a medal in every Asian Games since hockey was added to the games program in 1958.

Malaysian goalkeeper Roslan Jalamuddin made two saves in the tie-breaker, stopping Pakistan's drag-flick artist Sohail Abbas and Mudassar Ali to clinch Malaysia victory.

Keevan Raj, Chua Boon Huat, Kuhan Shanmuganathan and Muhammad Amin converted the penalty strokes for Malaysia as the issue was settled without the fifth shot being required. For Pakistan, only Muhammad Sarwar and Muhammad Wasim shot on target.

Pakistan took the lead in the 23rd minute when Abbas capitalized on a penalty-corner rebound after his first shot was blocked by goalkeeper Jamaluddin.

Malaysian equalised in the 39th minute through Keevan Raj.

"We were a trifle lucky to catch Pakistan on the wrong foot after its semi-final defeat," Malaysian coach Paul Lissek said of Pakistan's loss to India in the semi-finals.

"It was a big disappointment for Pakistan, but we were charged up with the hopes of winning a medal."