Kuantan (Malaysia): India defeated South Korea 5-4 (2-2) via penalty shoot-out in the first semi-final match to storm into the final of the Asian Champions Trophy hockey tournament here on Saturday.

The two sides were locked 2-2 at the end of the regulation time. For India, Talwinder Singh, Ramandeep Singh found the target in the regulation time while Seo Inwoo and Yang Jihun scored for the Koreans.

In the penalty shoot-out, Sardar Singh, Ramandeep Singh, Akashdeep and Rupinder Pal Singh scored as India entered the final. Rupinder also stepped up to convert the penalty stroke which was awarded to India after South Korean goalkeeper D. Hong hit the legs of Birendra Lakra with his stick during the fifth and final shoot-out effort.

Indian captain P.R. Sreejesh, who took his place under the goal after being sidelined for two round-robin matches due to an ankle injury, stopped the fifth and final South Korean player in the penalty shoot-out, paving the way for India’s win.

Post this win, the Asian Games 2014 champions will take on the winner of the second semi-final to be played between Pakistan and hosts Malaysia.

Right from the pushback at the Wisma Belia Hockey Stadium, India tried to build up the early moments by penetrating the defence. But the South Koreans stood solid to India’s probing attacks as they denied many attempts by applying sharp man-to-man marking.

Despite the various failed attempts, the Roelant Oltmans-coached side played with the same attacking strategy and soon it paid off as in the dying minutes of the first quarter.

Talwinder, who was not in his prime touch in this tournament, found some space and played a reverse hit to give India a vital 1-0 lead in the 14th minute.

Soon after conceding a goal, South Korea started counter-attacking and received their first penalty corner of the match but missed the chance for an equaliser.

In the second quarter, South Koreans seemed much more disciplined and it paid off as a defensive error by Rupinder saw South Korea equalising in the 20th minute of the game. Inwoo slammed into the Indian net after Rupinder failed to trap the ball cleanly.

India, unlike the first quarter, tried to bring down the pace of the game. It seemed like they lost their momentum after the South Korean equaliser but soon the Indian midfield started rotating the ball with purpose.

In the dying minutes of the second quarter, India got many chances to take the lead including a penalty corner that was denied by the South Korean custodian as both the teams went to half-time 1-1.

After the half-time, South Korea played with eight men in the circle while defending to look out for counter-attacks.

Soon the strategy paid off and they got a chance to take the lead but Rupinder denied it.

After witnessing this, India made their move and started pressing the Korean defence. In this process they got their third penalty corner but failed to convert it.

The drama unfolded in the last five minutes of the game as India grabbed the scoring opportunity with both hands as Sardar Singh played a move from the left byline. He gave a pass to Ramandeep, who did not make a mistake.