By Ajitpal Singh
MALAYSIA were three minutes away from defeat but Amin Rahim’s penalty corner strike levelled proceedings before he scored again with his trademark drag flick in sudden-death extra time to clinch a 4-3 win over India to qualify for their first ever Asian Games final at the Aoti Stadium yesterday.
And awaiting them in the gold medal match tomorrow is Pakistan, who upset favourites South Korea 4-3 on penalty strokes after the match ended 1-1 in regulation time.
For the record, Malaysia have never reached the final of the Asian Games since making their first appearance in 1958 but finished third on seven occasions.
It is expected to be an explosive final as the winner will gain direct entry into the 2012 London Olympics.
Prior to the Asian Games, critics were unkind to national coach Stephen van Huizen and his players after doing badly in last month’s New Delhi Commonwealth. But now they have silenced their critics with an exceptional performance in Guangzhou.
“I am delighted for being a hero for my team. I was under pressure after making a mistake, which resulted in India scoring at the start of the second half but I am really glad for making up for my blunder with two goals,” said Amin at the Aoti Stadium yesterday.
Malaysia captain Madzli Ikmar Mohd Nor said everyone in the team played their roles well to earn victory yesterday.
“We were patience and played a tactical game to win. It was a tough match as India were also looking at qualifying for the Olympics through the Asian Games.
“I can’t describe my happiness right now as being in the final is like a dream for us. It all boiled down to hard work and determination today (yesterday),” said Madzli Ikmar, who has been Malaysian captain since last year.
Malaysia were 3-2 down when Amin sounded the board with a low drag flick three minutes before the full time whistle.
And five minutes into extra time, Amin turned hero with his trademark flick, off a penalty corner, which sailed past India’s goalkeeper Bharat Kumar Chetri’s left before sounding the board.
Malaysia drew first blood in the match through Tengku Ahmad Tajuddin Tengku Jalil’s solo effort after 32 minutes but India’s Sandeep Singh levelled proceedings off a penalty corner set-piece three minutes later.
Tushar Khandker took advantage of a defensive mix-up from Amin to put India in the lead off a field attempt in the 37th minute.
However, the young Malaysian team pressed hard upfront and their persistence paid off through Azlan Misron, off a penalty corner set-piece, after 49 minutes.
Azlan pushed the ball into an empty India goalmouth, after Amin had dummied India’s penalty corner defensive line up by passing to the goal scorer instead of making a direct attempt.
But five minutes later, captain Rajpal Singh put India in the lead after Malaysia goalkeeper S. Kumar failed to clear the ball cleanly off a penalty corner attempt from Dhananjay Mahadik.
The match was heading to India’s way before Malaysia earned a penalty corner three minutes from time, in which 30-year-old Amin scored from it.
But suspense crept into the match after India was awarded a penalty corner two minutes from time. Dhananjay lined-up for it and his attempt forced a melee before an India stick managed to squeeze the ball past keeper Kumar but a defender managed to clear it away in the nick of time.
And Amin’s golden goal, in sudden death extra time, sealed victory for Malaysia.
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Twitter spreads the good news
shiva_tina: RT @PKamalanathan: Malaysia beat India 4 - 3 in Asian Games Hockey Semi-Finals & will now meet Pakistan in the Finals. Well Done MALAYSIA.Twitter - 8 minutes ago
azmi_777: Good job RT @Khairykj: RT @PKamalanathan: Malaysia beat India 4 - 3 in Asian Games Hockey Semi-Finals & will ...TMI.me: when you have too much to say... - tmi.meTwitter - 8 minutes ago
qazisaleem: Malaysia beat India in Asian Games Hockey Semi-final. So Pakistan to face Malaysia in the Final :DTwitter - 8 minutes ago
MFitriMArif: RT @Khairykj: RT @PKamalanathan: Malaysia beat India 4 - 3 in Asian Games Hockey Semi-Finals & will now meet Pakistan in the Finals. Wel ...Twitter - 13 minutes ago
9W2MUC: Malaysia beat India 4 - 3 in Asian Games Hockey Semi-FinalsTwitter - 15 minutes ago
honour789: Malaysia beat India 4 - 3 in Asian Games Hockey Semi-Finals. Congratz!Twitter - 25 minutes ago
livingkoshary: RT @mrrafie Malaysia beat India 4 - 3 in Asian Games Hockey Semi-Finals & will now meet Pakistan in the Finals. MALAYSIA BOLEH
stephendoss: RT @VenkatesRao: RT @PKamalanathan: Malaysia beat India 4 - 3 in Asian Games Hockey Semi-Finals & will ...TMI.me: when you have too much to say... - tmi.meTwitter - 29 minutes ago
khaleeqshah: RT @Khairykj: RT @PKamalanathan: Malaysia beat India 4 - 3 in Asian Games Hockey Semi-Finals & will now meet Pakistan in the Finals.Twitter - 29 minutes ago
ric_wee: Malaysia Beat India in Asian Games Semi-Final. We meet Pakistan in the FinalsTwitter - 30 minutes ago
Pakistan edge Korea on strokes
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, said.
"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.
"No matter against whom we play, now we have just gold in our minds," Butt said.
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, said.
"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.
"No matter against whom we play, now we have just gold in our minds," Butt said.
Malaysia beat India 4-3 in semi-finals!
Zeenews Bureau
Guangzhou: Malaysia’s Amin Rahim ended India’s Asiad gold campaign with a goal in the fag end of extra time, bringing an end to the most entertaining match of the tournament.
The final score was 4-3 in Malaysia’s favour as the Indian outfit had to suffer the heartbreak despite giving it their all in the field.
However, despite the loss, India will fight it out with S Korea for a bronze medal.
Malaysia refused to die out of the semi-final of the Asian Games and equalised, taking the score to 3-3 in the dying phases of the second half and gave the most gripping match of the tournament.
Indian skipper Rajpal Singh had come good just when it was needed the most and he flicked one into the opponent’s net to take 3-2 lead in the action packed tie that had gotten the crowd worked up in Guangzhou.
The second half had started with India taking the honours in the first minutes as the lead went to Rajpal and Co. 2-1. The opponents however came back strongly and again equalised 2-2 with 21 minutes remaining before the whistle.
The first half yielded two goals with the first one just three minutes to go before the buzzer as Malaysia made the first breakthrough in the Indian defence.
However, it was a great comeback by the tournament’s highest scorer Sandeep Singh as he equalized in the last minute to finish the first quarter 1-1.
India had started the tie, looking to carve out a dream India-Pakistan final for the gold but the chances could not be converted for the maximum early-on due to solid Malaysian defence.
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Your comment(s) on this article
No matter atleast we won against our enemy Pakistan. - Arsad Reyaz - Patna
koi naa ......pakistan ko hara liya naaaaaa.. - rajesh - bikaner
we have won against pakistan that is enough instead of going for the gold and dear pakistanis pray that we dnt make it to d finals or else it would have been another crushing defeat for u ,,.. - ANUP CHANDRAN - CHENNAI
india plz gold lana h or har team ko harana h - akshay - delhi
ha ha i am so happy bcoz india lost the game.& hope pakistan will get gold medal - lalpari - india
Guangzhou: Malaysia’s Amin Rahim ended India’s Asiad gold campaign with a goal in the fag end of extra time, bringing an end to the most entertaining match of the tournament.
The final score was 4-3 in Malaysia’s favour as the Indian outfit had to suffer the heartbreak despite giving it their all in the field.
However, despite the loss, India will fight it out with S Korea for a bronze medal.
Malaysia refused to die out of the semi-final of the Asian Games and equalised, taking the score to 3-3 in the dying phases of the second half and gave the most gripping match of the tournament.
Indian skipper Rajpal Singh had come good just when it was needed the most and he flicked one into the opponent’s net to take 3-2 lead in the action packed tie that had gotten the crowd worked up in Guangzhou.
The second half had started with India taking the honours in the first minutes as the lead went to Rajpal and Co. 2-1. The opponents however came back strongly and again equalised 2-2 with 21 minutes remaining before the whistle.
The first half yielded two goals with the first one just three minutes to go before the buzzer as Malaysia made the first breakthrough in the Indian defence.
However, it was a great comeback by the tournament’s highest scorer Sandeep Singh as he equalized in the last minute to finish the first quarter 1-1.
India had started the tie, looking to carve out a dream India-Pakistan final for the gold but the chances could not be converted for the maximum early-on due to solid Malaysian defence.
Post Comment
Your comment(s) on this article
No matter atleast we won against our enemy Pakistan. - Arsad Reyaz - Patna
koi naa ......pakistan ko hara liya naaaaaa.. - rajesh - bikaner
we have won against pakistan that is enough instead of going for the gold and dear pakistanis pray that we dnt make it to d finals or else it would have been another crushing defeat for u ,,.. - ANUP CHANDRAN - CHENNAI
india plz gold lana h or har team ko harana h - akshay - delhi
ha ha i am so happy bcoz india lost the game.& hope pakistan will get gold medal - lalpari - india
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