India beat Pakistan to enter final

Defending champions India reached the final of the Asian Games men's hockey tournament, beating arch-rivals Pakistan 4-3 in a pulsating match in Busan on Thursday.

At half-time the teams were locked 2-2.

India will take on South Korea in the final. The Koreans beat Malaysia 2-0 in the other semi-final.

For India, Dhanraj Pillay [6th and 21st minutes], Daljit Singh [41st], Gagan Ajit Singh [67th] scored, while Sohail Abbas [10th and 26th minutes] and Shabbir Muhammed [63rd] accounted for Pakistan's goals.

In a see-saw battle, which could have gone either way, India managed to hold their nerve and earn sweet revenge for their third place play-off defeat in the Champions Trophy in Cologne last month.

India's attack was spearheaded by ace striker Dhanraj Pillay, who scored a brace and also had a hand in the winning goal, scored by Gagan Ajit Singh.

India drew first blood in the sixth minute through Pillay, who flicked the ball into the goal following a cross from the right flank.

But India's joy was shortlived as Pakistan drew parity, with Sohail Abbas converting a penalty-corner in the tenth minute.

Pillay, who had promised great performance at the Asiad, did not dissappoint and gave India the lead once again, tapping the ball home in the 21st minute, after Gagan Ajit Singh's shot ricocheted off the Pakistan goalkeeper.

However, Sohail Abbas restored parity for Pakistan again from a penalty-corner in the 26th minute and the scores were level 2-2.

In the second half, Daljit Singh regained the lead for India in the 41st minute from a penalty-corner before Pakistan drew parity again when Shabbir Ahmed's shot found the goal in the 63rd minute.

The pace hotted up in the second session, which saw some dazzling attacking play and stick-work from both sides.

And just when it seemed the match would go into extra-time, Pillay provided a superb pass to Gagan Ajit Singh, in the 67th minute, who scooped the ball over the head of the advancing Pakistan goalkeeper to clinch the issue.

South Korea win dull match

Jeon Jong-Ha and Yeo Woon-Kon scored for former champions South Korea in a match that failed to rise to any great heights. The game was restricted more to the midfield in a goalless first session and not many chances came either team's way later.

South Korea could not convert any of their three penalty-corners earned in the first session.

South Korean coach Jeon Jae-Hong conceded they were marked well by Malaysia in the first-half.

"They had worked out a good plan for the match and had obviously studied our game well," he said. "Malaysia's defence of penalty-corners too was good and well planned."

In fact, Malaysia could have gone ahead three minutes from half-time when Anwar Aziz made a valiant effort but could not connect a long cross from Faizul Ramli on the right flank despite diving full length.

The hosts went ahead through Jeon in the 42nd minute when he flicked the ball in, in a melee following their sixth penalty-corner.

South Korea went 2-0 up when Yeo Woon-Kon converted their seventh penalty-corner in the 62nd minute.