18:35 (IST)
Malaysia is looking for a PC. Video umpire comes in.
18:35 (IST)
Malaysia is looking for a PC. Video umpire comes in.
18:34 (IST)
Under two mins left in the match.
India lead 2-1.
India need to hold the ball.
18:33 (IST)
Malaysia have pulled off their GK.
They now have 11 field players.
18:32 (IST)
And they defend with their lives.
India trying to kill time.
18:31 (IST)
Huge error from Varun.
Puts the ball onto his own feet with no Malaysians in front.
It;s a PC to Malaysia.
18:30 (IST)
We are into the last five minutes of the match.
This will be close.
Malaysia will now use the high ball.
18:28 (IST)
Errors creeping into India's game.
Malaysia almost got another PC.
Malaysia look for the equaliser.
India out to defend it's one goal lead.
18:26 (IST)
This will be touch and go for India.
Malaysia have the space.
And they are playing with three upfront now.
India rotating the ball. Eating away time.
18:25 (IST)
India must be angry with themselves. They missed open chances in the 3rd quarter.
And they let Malaysia come in and score.
18:24 (IST)
It's a soft goal and the Indian defence was caught napping.
It's 1-2.
Game on.
Now it will be tense.
Under ten mins left.
18:22 (IST)
Goal!
Malaysia have pulled one back through Shahril.
But India want the video umpire to have a look.
18:20 (IST)
India lead 2-0 in the 4th quarter.
They play possession now. Precious seconds tick away.
18:17 (IST)
Start of the 4th and last quarter.
15 minutes between India and the Asia Cup.
18:16 (IST)
And that's the 3rd quarter done with.
India could easily have scored a few more.
But the forwards are missing goals and even with an empty goal couldn't smash the ball in.
Malaysia is still hanging in and knows that one goal can create pressure on India.
India cannot afford to have these misses.
They lead 2-0.
18:14 (IST)
Another miss by Ramandeep Singh. Perfect ball from Lalit.
But he shoots wide.
Malaysia is still alive.
18:13 (IST)
Another miss from India. Both Ramandeep and Lalit miss shots.
18:11 (IST)
And that's an open goal missed by Lalit Upadhyay.
Gaping hole in the Malaysian goal and he shoots over and wide.
What A Miss!!!
18:09 (IST)
Under five minutes left in the 3rd quarter.
India searching for a 3rd goal.
18:06 (IST)
India pressing through Sumit.
It's his pacy move through the flank and middle that is causing problems for Malaysia.
India now looking for a third goal.
India should remember that Malaysia got a last minute goal against Korea to enter the final.
18:04 (IST)
Almost there as Ramandeep and Sumit create a brilliant move.
India on the attack now.
18:02 (IST)
Ramandeep is down, felled by a shot from Surender.
But thankfully he is up as Malaysia press from the flank.
17:59 (IST)
A two goal cushion hardly lasts in modern hockey.
And the Indian coach would have surely said to get the goals and not break the structure.
17:57 (IST)
Players coming on now for the last two quarters.
Huge from India's point of view.
They will need to hold the ball and score more to make the match safe.
It's still a long way off.
17:57 (IST)
Scoreline at half-time
HT! A fantastic 1st half for India as they have a two-goal cushion heading into the break.#HeroAsiaCup#INDvMASpic.twitter.com/jIcsqBEqhG
— Hockey India (@TheHockeyIndia) October 22, 2017
17:51 (IST)
Sardar has been brilliant in the 2nd quarter along with Sumit.
Four defence splitting moves all coming from Sardar.
Leading 2-0, India should build on it.
17:49 (IST)
Extremely crucial goal for India as the 2nd quarter ends.
India lead 2-0.
17:48 (IST)
Goal!!!!
That's 2-0.
Akashdeep to Sumit and Lalit taps it in.
India lead 2-0.
17:46 (IST)
Three minutes left in the 2nd quarter.
Too many misses from Akashdeep.
India defending strongly.
India lead 1-0.
17:45 (IST)
Malaysia defend the PC again.
India wasting opportunities.
It could be expensive in the long run.
17:43 (IST)
Akashdeep shot saved by Malaysian goalkeeper.
Leads to the 2nd PC for India.
17:42 (IST)
Slip shod play upfront.
Sardar created space for Sunil.
But he is running wide.
India need to cut into the striking circle.
17:40 (IST)
And the flick is defended and deflected away.
India need to score from their chances.
They cannot have Malaysia come into the match.
17:39 (IST)
And that's India's 1st PC of the match in the 2nd quarter.
Harmanpreet Singh with 7 goals is on the pitch.
17:38 (IST)
India still leading 1-0.
They need another goal if they want pressure on Malaysia.
Malaysia have slowly come into the match.
And now they look for avenues.
17:36 (IST)
Malaysia at this moment look slightly more steady.
India giving away the balls in the midfield.
And what a miss from Malaysia.
Two forwards couldn't trap the ball as it zipped away.
17:34 (IST)
India slightly wary in their play.
They keep their structure and not moving upwards unless they are sure of the ball.
Players falling back constantly.
17:32 (IST)
India started strongly and scored through Ramandeep.
Malaysia gained possession and even got a PC but couldn't score off it.
17:29 (IST)
And Malaysia miss the PC. Couldn't stop.
India holding now.
Trying to gain control again.
17:27 (IST)
And that is Malaysia's 1st PC.
Will they equalise?
17:26 (IST)
Fast counter from India.
Sunil to Akashdeep but he is not in position.
17:26 (IST)
Malaysia slowly coming back into the match. They are building well and have come close twice already.
17:24 (IST)
And that was well struck by Chinglensana.
But it is wide from a very acute angle.
India trying to build on the 1-0 lead.
17:21 (IST)
Malaysia looking for a PC.
They have gone to the video umpire though the umpire didn't give one.
17:20 (IST)
The first of the few errors coming into India's play.
Wrong passes from Akashdeep and Amit.
17:19 (IST)
Malaysia almost penetrate.
But there is an infringement.
India back to rotating the ball.
Keeping a sweeper at the back also.
Preview: India will face Malaysia in the final of Hockey Asia Championship after a thumping 4-0 win over Pakistan in their final second-round clash in Dhaka on Saturday. Pakistan and South Korea will face-off in the bronze medal match on Sunday.
India now have seven points from three games, while Pakistan are eliminated as they have one point, having suffered two defeats and a draw against Malaysia.
India will look to clinch the Hockey Asia Cup at the final against Malaysia. Twitter/@TheHockeyIndia
Second-placed Malaysia took their points tally to four after playing out a 1-1 draw against South Korea, who collected three points in total.
India have been clinical throughout their unbeaten run in the tournament. They beat Malaysia 6-2 in their second Super 4 match with a perfect display of attacking hockey. The Indian strikers toyed with the Malaysian defence with short passes, one-touch ball delivery to pump five beautiful field goals.
For Malaysia, who had looked impressive with an all-win record so far, it was their first loss in the event.
By virtue of the win, the Indians had also avenged their twin defeats — 0-1 in Azlan Shah Cup and 2-3 in Hockey World League Semi-finals in London — earlier this year.
On Sunday, India will look to continue their unbeaten run with victory in the final.
Published Date: Oct 22, 2017 06:32 pm | Updated Date: Oct 22, 2017 06:35 pm