Mahadik 'tricks India into final

Holders face Korea in title clash

Mahadik (34th, 40th, 42nd minute), skipper Rajpal Singh (44th), Rupinder Pal Singh (48th), Tushar Khandekar (49th), Sarvanjit Singh (70th) scored for India in what was a must-win match, while Abd El Hakim Ahmed (68th) was the lone Egyptian goal-getter.
India will take on Korea in the summit clash on Sunday.

India were made to struggle in the first half by the Egyptians  but in the 34th minute Mahadik flicked from their sixth penalty corner. Mahadik’s goal seemed to have opened floodgates for the Indians, who went on the rampage after the change of end.
Mahadik struck again with ease in the 40th and 42nd minutes after Halappa and Shivendra won India short corners.

Skipper Rajpal joined the party in the 44th minute, scoring from a Bharat Chikara pass.
Young Faridkot drag-flicker Rupinder Pal Singh then scored his first goal for the senior team when he beat Mabrouk to his left in the 48th minute from India’s tenth penalty corner.
The goal was followed by Khandker finding the mark in the next minute after combining with Rajpal.

Egypt, however, pulled one back against the run of play in the 68th minute through Abd El Hakim Ahmed. But Sarvanjit Singh completed India’s tally just seconds from the hooter when he pushed home after the Egyptian custodian was caught on the wrong foot.
In another must-win encounter where either team needed to win by two goal margin, Korea defeated Pakistan 4-2 to qualify for the final.