May 12, 2007	Saturday	Rabi-us-Sani 24, 1428

IPOH, May 11: Australia trounced Asian Games gold medallists South Korea 6-2, while Malaysia beat India 2-1 in the semi-finals of the 16th Sultan Azlan Shah Cup hockey on Friday.

Malaysia, who have reached the final of the tournament for the first time in 22 years, will play Olympic champions Australia for the cup on Sunday.

Ahmad Tajuddin Tengku Abdul Jalil scored in the 11th minute to put Malaysia ahead. Shivendra Singh equalized for India in the 13th minute. The hosts scored the winning goal in the second half when Kelwinder Singh hit the board in the 40th minute.

In the previous semi-final, Australia pulverized South Korea with goals by Desmond Abbot (9th, 69th), Andrew Smith (22nd), Liam Deyoung (37th), Eli Matheson (51st) and Grant Schubert (60th). The Korean goals were scored by Jeong Yun Sang (11th) and Lee Sung Min (57th).

“We played well at the start and I thought it made the difference. The outcome was good for us and we are especially pleased at the way our younger players are developing,” Australian coach Colin Batch said.

This is the fourth consecutive time that Australia have entered the final of this tournament, which they have won four times too.

A vastly superior Australian side played a brilliant tactical game while taking advantage of the Koreans' shaky defence.

Except for a penalty corner that they conceded, the Australians were on top, keeping the Koreans confined to their part of the field in the first half from the time Abbot scored the goal in the ninth minute, sweeping in a clearance by goalkeeper Lee Myung Ho.

The Koreans were disallowed a goal in the first half, and Batch later said it did look in replays shown on the giant screen on the field as if Yoon Sung Hoon might have got a faint touch to the ball.

“Going by his reactions, he might have got a touch, but having said that, I would have preferred that the replays were not shown on the screen. It is not a healthy sign, for the crowd might get involved in such situations,” Batch said.

In the second match, Malaysia started by cutting through the Indian defence to the delight of stadium-packing home crowd that came armed with drums and cymbals.

India's defence broke in the 11th minute when S. Selvaraju cut in from right and sent in a cross, which Ahmad Tajuddin deflected into the goal.

“We wanted to score first and see how it went,” said Malaysian coach Sarjit Singh. “It would have been difficult had we let go a goal and tried to come back. So our tactic was simple, score first and wait. It paid off.”

Malaysia, however, failed to hold on to the lead when a mistake by the defence saw Shivendra Singh score from close range in the 13th minute.

With scores level, the tempo of the game increased and India's Vikram Kanth was sent off with a yellow card for hitting Malaysia's Mohamad Sharun Nabil Abdullah in the 19th minute. Kelvinder Singh scored the match winner in the 40th minute.—AP