It took five years for India to win second Asian Champions trophy title. Good win for the team even in the absence of mercurial skipper PR Sreejesh. Goals from Rupinder Pal Singh (18'), Affa Yousuf (23') and Nikkin Thimmaiah (51') were enough to beat Pakistan.


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INDIA 3 - 2 PAKISTAN: Fourth-Quarter


0'- Akashdeep killed the clock. And India beat Pakistan again, by the same scoreline.


1'- Rashid Mehmood won the ball from Uthappa, and Pakistan created a good move, but there was Chinglensana guarding. He released it for Sardar, but the ball missed everyone...


2'- Full press from Pakistan, but India defended well.


3'- Jasjit had a free run on the right flank, but his cross failed to find any Indian player. Then, Pakistan launched a quick counter, but failed to hit the target.


4'- Despite all the sloppy work in the centre, from controlling to passing, India are doing just enough to keep Pakistan at bay. Yet another mopping up from Chinglensana on the left corner. And India won a free-hit inside the Pakistan half.


6'- Pakistan made a mess of the PC, no clan stop. India won the ball back and Sardar Singh gave away the ball to Pakistan in the centre. But Indian defence came handy.


7:04'- Birendra Lakra's foot foul, and PC to Pakistan.


8'- Long corner for Pakistan and wasted trying to find open space. India then lost the possession again.


9:40'- Nikkin Thimmaiah, what a miss. He was facing the open goal, but failed to control or deflect the cross from Chinglensana.


GOAL!! Then, on a good move, Nikkin scored, in the 51st minute.


11'- Sardar had a good steal in the centre, then India won a free hit after Mohammad Rizwan Junior committed a foot foul. India, however, opted to withdraw, then a move came from the right. SK Uthappa, from inside the Pak box, won a long corner.


14'- Less than 15 minutes to decide the winner. India got onto a quick attacking move from the left flank, but lost the possession. Ambitious move Pakistan.


INDIA 2 - 2 PAKISTAN: Third-Quarter


0'- Tasawar Abbas's free-hit missed the intended target, and India got a good counter attack going. Pakistan won back the ball inside their half, on to a quick move. Then, quarter over.


1'- Mohammad Rizwan senior apologized to Akashdeep after his high stick almost caught the Indian players neck. Pakistan continued to press hard. Free hit to Pakistan.


3'- The midfield duel continued, then Pakistan wasted a good chance to create a move with Tasawar Abbas hitting a wild shot. Ball to India.


5'- Mohammad Rizwan senior showed why he is regarded a genius. The Pakistan forward feigned his body to turn, beating two Indian players. And it's Pakistan period, so far.


6:45'- Brilliant response from India. Moments after conceding a second goal, India regained the lead with a good team work, starting with a Kothajit move, who sent a cross, and Ramandeep slotting home. 


Then, video referral. But it was disallowed. Reply showed Ramandeep missing the ball.


7:20'- Long corner to Pakistan after Fareed Ahmad attempt, then from the following play, Ali Shan scored from an advantage. GOAL!!


8'- Akashdeep won a free-hit on the left flank, inside Pakistan half. Then, a cross field plass found Sardar covering some ground. And from a quick move, Ramandeep found himself one-on-one against Pak keeper, but the he failed to control the ball.


10'- Pakistan's chance to keep the possession. A free hit to Pakistan after a body bump to Ejaz Ahmad on the right sideline. India did well to won the ball back and Akashdeep had a free run inside the Pakistan half.


12'- Toseeq Arshad tried another scoop from inside Pakistan's half, only to see Kothajit taking control of it in the centre. India, then, created a move from the left flank.


14'- Pakistan resumed the proceedings from the centre. But India soon won back the ball thanks to misdirected scoop.


Meanwhile, with that second quarter goal, Rupinder now has 11 goals in the tournament.


HALF-TIME UPDATE: India took the lead in the 18th minute, thanks to Rupinder Pal Singh's PC conversion. Then Affan Yousuf increased the lead in the 23rd minute, only to see Pakistan pulling one back through a PC conversion from Aleem Bilal in the 26th minute.



INDIA 2 - 1 PAKISTAN: Second-Quarter


0'- The quarter ended with India keeping control of the proceedings.


1'- India are using the acres of space available on the right flank, and trying to create moves from that channel. After few exchanges, India won back the ball with minutes time left in the quarter.


3'- Kothajit and Nikkin Thimmaiah linked up well, allowing the forward to take a reverse attempt. But it missed the target.


3:30'- Long corner to India, and a good hit from Rupinder but it was blocked.


4:49'- Umar Bhutta won Pakistan's first PC, thanks to stick block from Kothajit. From there, Aleem Bilal scored.


6'- Devindar Walmiki got a green card. Out for 2 minutes.


7'- GOAL!!! What an effort from Affan Yousuf. Brave. He deflected a cracking cross from Ramandeep Singh to double the lead.


8'- Talwinder Singh missed an easy hit at the goal after a brilliant move from Nikkin Thimmaiah. His reverse hit sailed over the bar. India, however, managed to keep the ball.


10'- After the re-start, India got onto some defensive work, with defenders mopping up loose balls. Then, kept the possession.


12:19'- GOAL!!! Rupinder Pal Singh found just the right corner to give India lead.


12:28'- Nikkin Thimmaiah was inside the Pakistan box, but he lost the ball. Another move from the right resulted in the second PC for India.


13'- Pakistan had the better chances, but it was close quarter. India took some time to launch the attack, and Pakistan won a long corner thanks to an Ejaz Ahmad hit. Wasted though.


INDIA 0 - 0 PAKISTAN: First Quarter


0'- Kothajit Khadangbam took it too long to take his shot. Wasted the chance. And in the counter, Akash Chikte was forced to produced a good stop.


2'- India survived a good move from Pakistan with Sardar Singh coming to the rescue. Then, Arslan Qadir almost gave Pakistan the lead, but it was deflected.


They won a long corner. And Rashid Mehmood won the green card.


4'- Akashdeep Singh received a brutal tackle, but Peter Wright thought it was safe.


5'- Pakistan increased the tempo in the last couple of minutes, and they are happy keeping the ball inside their own half, probably looking for an opening.


India won the ball back thanks to a misdirected pass,. Sardar tried a cross from the left, but the ball lifted to dangerous play. Free hit to Pakistan.


7'- But India wasted the chance, with the PC attempt just missing the target.


8:15'- A good chance for India. Free hit inside the Pakistan half. From the re-start, India won a short-corner on the right. Then another free-hit following a foot foul from a Pakistan player.


Then, Birendra Lakra won India's first PC. 


10'- India continued probing Pakistan defence, but still no success. In fact, after that first minute crack, there's no attempt coming from them.


Pakistan got a good counter going, but was thwarted.


12'- Sardar Singh tried a scoop, in a bid to find one of the attackers, but the ball missed everyone. India won the ball back quickly,  and tried holding for some time. But Affan Yousuf lost it at the near near.


13'- Match no 167 between the arch-rivals on with India on the ball. Pakistan won the possession on the left and first attack  through that corridor.


National anthems done. Handshakes done.


PR Sreejesh not fit, and Rupinder Pal Singh is leading the Indian team.


Moments into the match. 



DRAMATIC FINISH: Malaysia just won the bronze medal after defeating South Korea 3-1 in shoot out. Hosts vanished last night's penalty defeat to Pakistan. Coming up is the big final.


Meanwhile, the bronze medal match between Malaysia and South Korea is heading for shoot out after the regulation time score remained 1-1.


A little while ago,



Expect a fierce final between the bitter rivals. The stage doesn't get bigger than this. With India celebrating Diwali and the escalating tension between the neighbours, today's result will decide which side of border goes to night victorious.


India, undefeated in this edition, will enter as the favourites after their 3-2 win over Pakistan in a preliminary match. But since the defeat, Pakistan have produced a brilliant comeback, and beat Malaysia via shoot-out to make the final.


The defending champion beat South Korea, Japan and China but lost to Malaysia and India. But in the semis, they beat Malaysia 3-2 on penalty shoot out.


India also endured a penalty shoot-out in the semis, beating South Korea 5-4 after score remained 2-2 at the end regulation time.


SQUADS


INDIA: Goalkeepers — 16. P.R Sreejesh (Captain), 2. Akash Chikte; Defenders — 3. Rupinder Pal Singh, 4. Pardeep Mor, 28. Jasjit Singh Kular, 26. Birendra Lakra, 5. Kothajit Khadangbam, 6. Surender Kumar; Midfielders — 29. Chinglensana Kangujam, 7. Manpreet Singh, 8. Sardar Singh, 15. S.K Uthappa, 22. Devindar Walmiki; Forwards — 20. Talwinder Singh, 24. S.V Sunil, 14. Lalit Kumar Upadhyay, 32. Nikkin Thimmaiah, 30. Affan Yousuf


PAKISTAN: Goalkeepers — 1. Imran Butt and 12. Amjad Ali; Defenders — 2. Aleem Bilal, 18. Mohammad Irfan (Captain), 16. Ammad Shakeel Butt; Midfielders — 6. Rashid Mehmood, 3. Tasawar Abbas, 15. Nawaz Ashfaq, 13. Fareed Ahmad, 5. Toseeq Arshad, 4. Mohammad Rizwan Junior; Forwards — Mohammad Irfan junior, 14. Umar Bhutta, 7. Arslan Qadir, 10. Ali Shan, 17. Ejaz Ahmad, 11. Mohammad Rizwan senior, 9. Abdul Haseem Khan.


New Delhi: Welcome to our live, minute-by-minute coverage of Asian Champions Trophy hockey final match between bitter rivals India and Pakistan, being played at Kautan, Malaysia.