India beat Pak 2-1,enter final

Indias leading goal scorer in the tournament,Sandeep struck twice in the 28th and 60th minutes to seal the win in the crucial tie. For Pakistan,Mohamed Saqlain reduced the margin in the 50th minute. Pakistan tried hard for the equaliser but were unable to get past the Indian defence,who ensured there were no last-minute hiccups. With this win,India sealed their place in Sundays final with eight points. They now play Malaysia,who drew 1-1 against New Zealand.

Sandeep led from the front against the arch-rivals,scoring either side of the break. He converted a penalty stroke to help India go into the breather with a 1-0 lead. Pakistan came out all guns blazing in the second half and made repeated unsuccessful forays into the Indian box before Saqlain drew parity in the 50th minute. Stung by the reverse,India attacked with purpose and regained the lead 10 minutes later with Sandeep again finding the cage.

Indias coach-in-charge Harendra Singh said it was a collective effort. It was a tough game and the feeling was totally different among the boys. They worked hard for the victory, Harendra said after match. Whenever India and Pakistan play,strategies become secondary. It becomes an all-out attempt to win and thats what the boys did today, he added.