India eye Pakistan route to final

Dhaka: India will aim to continue their good show as they face arch foes Pakistan in their last second-round clash with at least a point needed to guarantee their position in the final of the Hero Asia Cup hockey tournament here on Saturday.

India have sailed through the tournament showcasing impressive form. They notched up three successive wins in the pool stage but the forward line was put to test against a highly defensive South Korean side in their first Super-four match. India mustered a goal in the 59th minute to settle for a draw but bounced back with an astounding 6-2 win against Malaysia, who have in the past year beaten India twice.

India showed sublime skills in their clinical demolition of the Malaysian side and will look to carry on the winning form. Coach Sjoerd Marijne stated that his team will be focused on improving their performance from their previous outing where they beat Pakistan 3-1 in the pool stage.

"We were happy with the win against Pakistan in our previous match but we know we can perform better. We will go into the match focusing on our structure and stick to the game plan we have against Pakistan," expressed the 43-year-old Dutchman.

The top two teams at the end of second round will reach the final while the teams finishing third and fourth will vie for the bronze medal. "Because the stage is open for anybody to make the final, it is exciting to the last moment.

As a coach I want my players to perform under pressure and this is the best way to create that scenario. For us, at this moment, it is a lot important to play top international matches because we can raise our level," he said adding that the team will make the most of the exposure.