India looking to finish higher

Already out of contention for a berth in the final, India need a big victory over South Korea on Friday if they hope to make it to a 3-4 placing in the Sultan Azlan Shah hockey tournament.

India have four points from five matches and are placed fifth, with a match against Korea in hand.

Germany, with 12 points from four outings, head the table, followed by South Korea and Pakistan, on ten points each. The two top teams qualify for Sunday's final.

Looking at the form of South Korea, the Sydney Olympics silver medallists, India will find the going extremely tough against their speedy rivals.

The Koreans put aside the 5-2 drubbing they suffered against Germany and comfortably beat Australia 3-0 on Wednesday. A victory in Friday's match should see them through to the final.

The last time India met Korea was at the Sydney Olympics, where Korea won 2-0 in a pool match.

The teams played a thriller in the 2000 edition of the Azlan Shah tournament, where India, after being down 0-2, fought back to lead 4-3 and then threw the match away in the last few minutes, losing 4-5.

Spurred by a 2-1 victory over England on Wednesday, India is expected to go all out against the Koreans this time, as it is also their last league match.

On the team's chances against Korea, India coach Baldev Singh said: "Korea is a highly improved and extremely fit team and to play at the pace that they play would be suicidal.

"If at all we have a chance, we need to slow the pace and control the midfield, so that they can't break through with the counter-attack. They have the best counter-attacking team in the world and they will never leave a chance or space if provided."

He said he is happy with the way the tournament has gone for this Indian side.

"I think except for the matches against Malaysia, Pakistan and Australia, we have done well. I am giving an example of those three matches because we shouldn't have lost but drawn those matches," he said.

The biggest weakness of the South Koreans is getting rattled if the ball does not play their way. Slowing the pace in the midfield and then racing down with the ball into circle is the only chance India have of keeping them on the backfoot.

Korean coach Jeon Jae Jong is confident of his side's victory. "We know that this Indian side is not the full team and that is one reason for our confidence. But after watching them play against England and Pakistan and we cannot take them lightly. We need to win to go into the final and that will be our first objective."

The young Indian side has done well in this edition of the Azlan Shah tournament considering the close scorelines that they have had against Malaysia, Pakistan and Australia. If they keep the Koreans down and end up winning, or even drawing this encounter, it will be a huge boost for this young side.

Complete Coverage: Sultan Azlan Shah Hockey Tournament, 2001