International tournament news

16-05 Korea meet India in final

2010-5-16

Defending champion India will meet South Korea in the final of the 19th Sultan Azlan Shah Cup Hockey Championship here tomorrow night.

In their last preliminary round match tonight, India beat Egypt 7-1 with Dhananjay Mahadik put them ahead with a hattrick in the 33rd, 40th and 43rd) minutes.

India ran rings around their opponents to lead 6-0 with other goals coming from Rajpal Singh (44th), Rupinder Pal Singh (48th) and Tushar Khadnkhar (49th) before Egypt stole a consolation goal through Ahmad Abd El Hakim (68th minute).

Sarvanjit Singh sealed Egypt's fate in the 70th minute to make the final score 7-1.

South Korea became giant killers when they tamed Pakistan 4-2 to earn a berth in the final after both teams were tied with eight points.

Pakistan opened scoring through Muhammad Zubair in the 32nd minute before South Korea equalised six minutes later through Lee Nam Yong.

Lee put South Korea in front in the 46th minute but Muhammad Imran levelled the score 11 minutes later.

Muhammad Imran was flashed three cards - green, yellow and red - when he strongly protested against umpire Warren McCully's decision to award a penalty to South Korea.

This prompted Pakistani players to threaten to walk out of the match but their protest fizzled out.

When the match resumed Nam Hyun Woo converted the penalty flick to put South Korea in the lead before he put the issue beyond doubt two minutes later.

In another match, Australia beat China 4-0 and will meet Malaysia for the third and fourth placing tomorrow afternoon.

Australia were in control throughout the match and scored through Kieran Govers (3rd, 21st minutes), Christopher Ciriello (50th) and captain Grant Schubert (51st).

P W D L F A Pts

India 6 4 1 1 21 14 13

South Korea 6 3 2 1 20 11 11

Australia 6 3 2 1 20 12 11

Malaysia 6 3 2 1 17 9 11

Pakistan 6 2 2 2 24 20 8

China 6 1 1 4 12 19 4

Egypt 6 0 0 6 4 33 0

Fixtures (tomorrow)

5TH-6TH PLACING PAKISTAN VS CHINA

3RD-4TH PLACING AUSTRALIA VS MALAYSIA

1ST-2ND PLACING INDIA VS SOUTH KOREA

Seventh place - Egypt

-- BERNAMA