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Asia Cup final holds much promise

A needle contest is in the offing as hosts India take on defending champions South Korea in the final of the Hero Honda fourth women's Asia Cup hockey tournament in Delhi tomorrow.

The stakes are really high as the winner will qualify for 2002 World Cup.

The Indians won the inaugural edition of the tournament while the Koreans were champions in the last two.

India go into the match with morale high following the 3-2 victory over the Koreans in their last league match, which enabled them finish on top of the round-robin league. That victory has certainly instilled in the girls a sense of confidence and made them realise that they have the potential to fight back and the Koreans not invincible.

India had finished last in the 1998 Utrecht World Cup but now have a chance to wipe out the memories of that debacle tomorrow by winning tomorrow and booking berth for another World Cup.

Coach Gurdial Singh Bhangu was candid enough to admit that his girls have a tough task ahead, but added, "We will play an attacking and open game like we did on Tuesday .

"We just can't afford missing chances. At this level of competition the team has to convert even a half chance if you want to win."

This will be the fifth time both the teams will be facing each other this year. In previous engagements, India emerged winners thrice, including Tuesday's victory. That fact itself is a big psychological boost for the hosts. The only defeat came earlier this year in Australia.

"We have plans and I hope the girls will give their best. They (players) know the importance of this match," Bhangu added.

The home side's attack will be spearheaded by former skipper Pritam Rani Siwach and Jyoti Kullu. Though the Indian girls have done a commendable job so far while attacking, their penalty-corner conversion has left lot to be desired.

They even failed to convert penalty strokes against China, something they cannot tomorrow.

Goalkeeper Tingonleima has excelled right through and her saves against Korea in the league match was in the main responsible for India making it to the final.

But the worrying factor is the Indian defence which tends to look susceptible under pressure and have a tendency to conceded penalty-corner. In the match against Korea, they conceded ten penalty corners but were lucky as the defending champions failed to convert any of them.

The Koreans's strategy is hit and run. Besides, they have the stamina to sustain the fast pace for the full 70 minutes.That is not the case with the Indians. They will need to slow down the game and hold more possession.

And for that to happen, much will depend on the midfield of Kamla Dalal and captain Sita Gussain. If they can find the right gaps, then the Koreans, who have already qualified for the Sydney Olympics by virtue of winning the Asian Games title, will surely have their hands full.

All in all a keen contest is on the cards. The team which makes the best of penalty-corners and seizes the chances will emerge tops.

UNI