Malaysia 3 Japan 2

By Jugjet Singh
jugjet@hotmail.com

MALAYSIA woke up from being two goals down to beat Japan 3-2 and will now play for the bronze medal in the Asian Champions Trophy in Ordos.
India and Pakistan, who drew 2-2 yesterday, will play for the gold while South Korea and China will try to avoid the sixth spot.
It was an amazing comeback, as a win for Japan would see them play in the final and at half-time, the Rising Sun were 2-0 up and looking dangerous.
However, Malaysia threw caution to the wind after the breather and two junior players delivered three scintillating goals.
Project 2013 player Amir Farid scored a brace while Faizal Saari delivered the winner.
Faizal dribbled three defenders before making a pass for Amir to score the first, while his own goal was a solo when he sliced past three defenders and sent home a reverse stick shot.
“When South Korea drew 1-1 with China in the earlier match, we only had to beat Japan and there was no more a goal margin to chase.
“This, to a certain extent got the players too excited and they were not their usual self in the first half,” said team manager Stephen van Huizen.
But a pep talk during the breather changed matters: “We told them to go out end enjoy themselves with attacking hockey as there was nothing to lose.
“And now we will have another re-match with Japan on Sunday.”
In the first match of the day, unbeaten India dominated the barren first half but conceded two goals in two minutes to trail 0-2 by the 42nd minute only to come from behind to draw the match under chilly and windy conditions.
RESULTS: India 2 Pakistan 2, South Korea 1 China 1, Japan 2 Malaysia 3.

P W D L F A PTS
PAKISTAN 5 3 1 1 13 10 10
INDIA 5 2 3 0 15 8 9
JAPAN 5 2 1 2 11 9 7
MALAYSIA 5 2 1 2 14 13 7
S KOREA 5 2 1 2 13 14 7
CHINA 5 0 1 4 5 17 1

TODAY: REST DAY.
TOMORROW: Fifth-Sixth: South Korea v China; Third-Fourth: Malaysia v Japan; Final: India v Pakistan.