Goalkeeper Salman Akbar (R) of Pakistan saves a goal against South Korea in their field hockey semi-final match. -Photo by AFP

GUANGZHOU: Goalkeeper Salman Akbar made two crucial saves in a sudden-death penalty shootout as Pakistan knocked out defending champion South Korea 4-3 in the Asian Games men’s field hockey semifinals.

The six-foot Akbar denied Jang Jong-hyun and Yeo Woon-kon from the spot after experienced Sohail Abbas had missed one for Pakistan. Haseem Khan converted from the spot to book Pakistan’s first berth in an Asian Games final in 20 years.

The score was locked 1-1 at the end of regulation, and neither team produced a winner in extra time. It was at 3-3 after first round of penalty strokes.

“It was the most nerve-racking international match I have ever played,” Akbar, veteran of 300 internationals, told the Associated Press.

“I visualized pictures of my mother and father before preparing myself in today’s shootout.

“It was just because of their prayers that I managed to stop the last two.”

In regulation time both teams tried to take their chances through counterattacks instead of challenging the rival defenders.

“A semifinal is a big occasion and naturally nobody wanted to take chances,” Pakistan striker Rehan Butt, who did not feature in the shootout, said.

“I was in tears during the shootout and was just praying to the god for victory.”

In regulation time, striker Mohammad Waqas had given Pakistan a 1-0 halftime lead when he fired in an angular drive in the 22nd minute from the top of the circle.

Kang Moon-kyu equalized in the 39th minute with a deft touch in a rare South Korean attempt at goal.

Just before South Korea’s equalizer came in, Abbas failed to convert off three successive short corners. Mohammad Shafqat’s attempt in the 53rd went wide.

South Korea also had its opportunities in the extra time, but Jang missed the 75th minute short corner.

India was playing Malaysia in the semifinal later Tuesday. India had a 3-2 win over Pakistan in the group stage of the tournament.

“No matter against whom we play, now we have just gold in our minds,” Butt said. -AP

“Penalty corners are the most important aspect of modern hockey,” says hockey's record goal-scorer Sohail Abbas. —AFP Photo

Six of the top eight scorers in the preliminary league are penalty corner exponents with India’s Sandeep Singh leading the charge with 10 goals.

Veteran Sohail Abbas of Pakistan has six, while China’s Liu Yixian, the South Korean duo of Jang Jong-Hyun and Nam Hyun-Woo and Muhammad Imran of Pakistan have five each.

The two exceptions are Malaysian striker Azlan Misron, who has scored six goals and Korean forward Seo Jong-Ho, who has five.

“Penalty corners are the most important aspect of modern hockey,” said the 35-year-old Abbas, whose Pakistan clash with defending champions South Korea in the first semi-final.

“If the strikers don’t score themselves, they try to make sure the team earns penalty corners. It’s all part of the game.”

Abbas, who was recalled for the Asiad after being left out of last month’s Commonwealth Games in New Delhi, is the world’s leading scorer with 316 goals.

But the Koreans, seeking a hat-trick of titles after winning in 2002 and 2006, say Abbas’ mighty presence does not worry them.

“Sohail is a wonderful striker, but our own Jang and Nam are equally good,” said Korean striker Seo Jong-Ho. “We also have a lot of faith in our goalkeeper.”

Nam added South Korea was fortunate to have two solid penalty corner hitters in their team.

“It helps us to plan better,” he said. “We like to keep the other side guessing whether Jang or I will take the hit.”

India, the only team with an all-win record in the league who meet Malaysia in the other semi-final, owe their success to Sandeep’s precise drag-flicks.

“Our penalty corner strategy has worked out well so far, but we must try something different in the semi-final because the other side would have studied videos of our matches,” Sandeep said.

India have been tested just once in four games when they beat Pakistan 3-2, where Sandeep scored twice and Abbas’ lone penalty corner shot was brilliantly saved by goalkeeper Bharat Chetri.

But Indian captain Rajpal Singh said it would be dangerous to depend entirely on Sandeep’s prowess to see them past Malaysia.

“They are a good team and we must take all the chances that come our way,” he said. “Winning all league matches won’t count if we lose the semi-final.”

Malaysia will rely on strikers Misron and Hafifihafiz Hanafi as they attempt to make their first Asian Games final after going unbeaten in the league with three wins and a draw.

The competition assumes significance since the winner of Thursday’s gold medal clash will get a direct entry into the 2010 London Olympics. —AFP

Muhammad Zubair (L) of Pakistan passes the ball against Bangladesh during the men's preliminary group B field hockey game at the Aoti hockey field in Guangzhou. -Photo by AFP

GUANGZHOU: Defending champions South Korea and Pakistan cruised into the semi-finals of the Asian Games men’s field hockey with emphatic wins on Sunday.

Pakistan bounced back after the 3-2 loss to India a day earlier to outclass Bangladesh 6-1, while the Koreans whipped Singapore 12-1 in their last league matches.

India, who overcame a fighting Japan 3-2, topped group B with four straight wins and will play either Malaysia and China in Tuesday’s second semi-final.

Malaysia need a draw against the hosts later on Sunday to qualify as the second team from group A behind South Korea.

Pakistan face the Koreans in the first semi-final, also scheduled for Tuesday.

Veterans Shakeel Abbasi and Sohail Abbas fashioned Pakistan’s win over Bangladesh with two goals apiece, while Muhammad Imran also pumped in two penalty corners.

Abbasi put Pakistan ahead in the 13th mninute with a brilliant reverse flick and Abbas increased the margin two minutes later with a stinging penalty corner.

Abbasi scored the third goal in the 27th with a superb run down the middle when he dribbled past three defenders and beat the advancing goalkeeper.

Abbas, who failed to score off the lone penalty corner his side earned against India, struck his second set-piece goal as Pakistan took a 4-0 lead by half-time.

Muhammad Imran converted two penalty corners in the second half, before Bangladesh earned a consolation goal through Taposh Barmon seven minutes before the final whistle.

“We took this match as if we were playing the final, because we must continue to win if we are to reach and win the final,” said the 35-year-old Abbas.

“Penalty corners are the most important part of modern hockey. Yesterday, India scored two of them while we missed and lost the game. That turned the game around.”

The Koreans went on a rampage against Singapore, scoring five goals in the first half and another seven after resumption.

Seo Jong-ho and Nam Huyn-woo slammed hat-tricks, while Jang Jong-hyun found the target with two penalty corners.

You Hyo-sik, Kim Young-jin, Yeo Woon-kon and Yoon Sung-hoon were the other scorers for South Korea, even as Mohammad Yuhari narrowed the scoreline for Singapore.

Singapore bowed out of the competition with four successive defeats, while Bangladesh had one win and three defeats.

India, already assured of a place in the semi-finals, were stung by a 21st minute goal from Japan’s Hiroki Sakamoto.

Captain Rajpal Singh and penalty corner ace Sandeep Singh hit back for India on either side of the break, before Sandeep scored his second goal in the 62nd minute.

Sakamoto made it 2-3 seven minutes before the final whistle, but Japan failed to draw level. -AFP

Song Yi of China (R) his congratulated by his teammate Liu Yixian. -Photo by AFP

GUANGZHOU: South Korea taught a hockey lesson to minnows Oman, defeating them 8-0 in a one-sided match in the preliminary round, signalling key runners for the medal – India and Pakistan – that a gold medal would not be an easy pie for them.

The match started here at the Aoti Hockey Field Stadium on Tuesday with Hyun Hysung, a key drag-flicker from the Korean side, helping his forward line taking massive lead.

Oman`s defence could not contain the scare of Lee Nam Young, Korea`s captain, who helped his squad scoring three quick goals in the first seven minutes.

It was the second half in which the Korean forward line cashed on five out of six penalty-corners. Dawn

“We aim to win the gold and have entered the competition with a gold in mind. We are confident about winning it and the entire team is in form,” Hyun Hysung, 24, told in his brief media statement.

Hyun Hysung and Nam Hyunwoo scored two goals each.

Seo Jongho, Jang Jonghyun, You Hyosik and captain Lee Nam Young added one goal apiece to ensure Korean win.

Korea are now at the top in their pool.

Korea`s captain Lee Nam Young added: “Pakistan and India are the two key competitors in the tournament but the Indians have an edge over the green-shirts.”

He added that they would engineer their best strategy against the two key South Asian hockey nations and would be watching their players, especially forward-lines.

In another match, China took a sigh of relief as they defeated Singapore 2-0, though the young Singapore team, captained by Singh Harjeet, dominated the game.

China got their first penalty-corner in the 16th minute but their forward-line failed to convert it into a goal.

China even missed an open chance in the 28th minute, thus giving an edge to Singapore, ranked No.8 in Asia.

However, it was an own goal scored by the young defender of Singapore who in a bid to hit the ball outside the danger zone flicked it in his own goal which edged passed goalkeeper Salim Zulqernain.

But luck sided with the hosts as China got a gifted goal six minutes before closing of the game while striker Liu Yixian scored another with a better push right from top of the D.

Meanwhile, Pakistan would play their opening match against minnows Hong Kong at the Aoti Stadium on Wednesday in the afternoon [12:00 noon PST] and India would play Bangladesh.

Results:
Men`s:
South Korea 8 Oman 0
China 2 Singapore 0
Women`s (round-robin):
Japan 3 India 0
China 3 Kazakhstan 0
South Korea 4 Malaysia 0