IPOH, Aug 31- The national hockey squad hopes of giving Malaysians a Merdeka gift by qualifying for the final of the 2013 Asia Cup hockey championship were shattered when they went down 0-2 to India in the semi-final at the Sultan Azlan Shah Hockey Stadium here Friday night.
Malaysia celebrates its 56th Independence Day tomorrow and not only that, it was also the squad’s opportunity to qualify for the final of the prestigious hockey meet for the very first time.
Malaysia will face Pakistan on Sunday in the third/fourth placing play off while India will meet defending champions in the final the same day.
India went on the attack from the start and scored as early as the eighth minute through a penalty corner that was converted by V.R Raghunath.
The national squad coached by Paul Revington tried to find the equaliser through several forays but the defence of the two times Asia Cup champions was hard to penetrate.
On resumption, Malaysia stepped up a gear in trying to find the elusive equaliser but the India’s defence and keeper P.R Sareejesh were tough nuts to crack.
With Malaysia’s backline opened up as the boys were going at the Indian goal, in a swift counter-attack Mandeep Singh scored again for India in the 60th minute thus sealing victory and a place in the final.
In the other semi-final match held earlier, South Korea confirmed their place in the final when they edged Pakistan 2-1.
Both teams appeared evenly matched but it was the South Koreans who drew first blood when Jang Jong Hyun scored from a penalty corner in the 32nd minute.
They further punished Pakistan when Lim Nam Yong scored their second in the 40th minute, also from a penalty corner.
Pakistan tried to rise up but the South Koreans gave no quarter and had to be contented with the consolation goal which was netted by team captain Muhammad Imran eight minutes later.
Meanwhile, in the fifth to eighth placing playoffs Japan defeated Bangladesh 3-0 while Oman beat Taiwan 2-0 in a penalty shootout after their match ended in a 2-2 draw after regulation time.
The winners will take on each other in the fifth/sixth playoff while the losers for seventh/eighth placing, Saturday.
– BERNAMA
