Defending champions India had to be content with a third place finish after defeating South Korea 3-2 in the play-off match, in the six-nation Junior hockey tournament in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday.

The Indians, who missed on a final berth after losing their final league encounter to hosts Malysia on Saturday, trailed 0-1 at the breather but came back strongly in the second half to emerge victorious.

Adam Sinclair scored a brace, Vikram Kant netted one for India while both the goals for the Koreans came from penalty-corners.

The first goal for India came by a skillful execution of the stick by Sinclair, who a flicked a long pass deftly into the net.

The Olympian scored the winning goal through a well-coordianated move.

Earlier, the start of the match was delayed by 45 minutes and was later suspended for 35 minutes in the second half due to heavy downpour which lashed the Malaysian capital and surrounding areas.

"We played a good attacking game today and it paid off as we won the match," Indian coach Harendra Singh said after the match.

However, Harendra was very upset with the umpiring in the tournament and said the decisions to give yellow cards to his players on account of 'body language' during the matches against Pakistan and Malaysia -- which India lost -- were un-understandable.

"When Europeans play it is taken as a normal game but when we play it is construed as body language," Singh noted.

He admitted that the umpire's decision had to be respected but hoped that such instances would not be repeated at the Junior World Cup, in Holland from June 29.

"I and the boys have learnt a lot during this tournament. We need to work hard and do our homework," he said, adding, that he hoped that he would be chosen as the coach of the junior side to Holland.

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