Indian women beat Korea 2-0 to enter Asian Games hockey final, eye gold after 44 years
India's in-form women's hockey team moved within one victory of ending a 44-year wait for an Asian Games gold medal after beating South Korea 2-0 to reach the final of the continental showpiece on Wednesday.
Ishika Chaudhary broke the deadlock in the 44th minute before captain Salima Tete doubled India's lead four minutes later with a superb field goal.
India will face defending champions China in Friday's final, with the winner claiming the country's second Asian Games women's hockey gold. India's only previous triumph came at the 1982 New Delhi Games.
China defeated Japan 4-2 in a shoot-out after the two teams played out a goalless draw in the first semifinal. South Korea will meet Japan in the bronze-medal match.
India dominated the opening half and earned eight penalty corners, but South Korea's disciplined defence repeatedly denied the Indian attack.
India won its first penalty corner as early as the second minute, but Deepika's flick was brilliantly saved by goalkeeper Seoyeon Lee.
Navneet Kaur failed to make the most of another set piece two minutes later, while Lee produced another fine save in the 13th minute to keep out Rutuja Pisal's deflection from a long ball.
The pressure continued in the second quarter, when India earned three more penalty corners within a minute, but could not find a way through.
A sixth penalty corner in the 21st minute also went waste after the ball was not stopped cleanly following an imperfect injection. Two more set pieces arrived in the final two minutes of the first half, but South Korea held firm.
India continued to control possession and territory after the interval, but the Korean defence remained compact until a clever variation finally unlocked it.
In the 44th minute, Ishika finished from a deflection after Deepika's indirect variation at a penalty corner to put India ahead.
"I'm feeling very good now we are in the finals. This is what we wanted, and the energy was too good and we played united so it was a good game," Ishika said after the match.
The goal immediately lifted India, and the team continued pressing for another.
"After the (first goal) we were very happy, and we were like, 'Go for the second goal. This (is) not over, so go for the next goal, next goal'. That's why we scored the second one too," Ishika said.
Four minutes later, Salima produced the second goal after a brilliant solo run down the right flank, giving India a 2-0 cushion.
India had opportunities to add to its lead but struggled to convert penalty corners, with two consecutive chances in the 57th minute going waste as Lee again denied Deepika.
South Korea mounted a late challenge and earned four successive penalty corners, but India's defence held firm to preserve the clean sheet and seal a place in the final.
With China now standing between India and gold, Ishika said the team would focus on its own game rather than dwell on the opposition.
"We are not concentrating on what China will do. Obviously we'll have a meeting about their structure and whatever, but, again, we will concentrate on ourselves. What we are going to do. And we will execute our skills well," she said.
