Welcome to the Live commentary of Asian Games 2018 Women's hockey semifinal match between India and China at the GBK Hockey Field, Jakarta.
7:55 pm: FULL-TIME! INDIA 1-0 CHINA! India enters the Asian Games final for the first time since 1998 in Bangkok where it finished runners-up. It has been a hard fought victory for Rani Rampal's team as China controlled the game for the first half an hour. But the Indians came out in the second half with determination to break the deadlock and forced the Chinese back into their own half. Gurjit Kaur, after trying different combinations from four penalty corners, placed the fifth penalty strike perfectly and out of the reach of the goalkeeper. India will face Japan in the final which beat defending champion South Korea 2-0 earlier today.
7:53 pm: Less than a minute left on the clock. India is lot letting any loose ball as the midfielders send them upfield.
7:52 pm: China looking desperately for an equaliser but is unable to get past the packed Indian circle.
7:51 pm: The Indians have not slacked following the goal and kept on entering the Chinese area gaining four more entries.
7:48 pm: It was Gurjit's double strike from penalty corner that resurrected a tepid game against South Korea that inspired three late goals from India in the group stage and now it could be the only goal of the match.
7:44 pm: GOAL INDIA! Gurjit Kaur makes the difference again. The placement from the defender is flawless as the ball sails into the right top corner.
7:43 pm: Penalty corner to India!
7:41 pm: Another chance goes begging as Rani finds herself space on the left, but the goalkeeper guesses it right.
7:40 pm: A wave of attacks from India has the Chinese defence under intense pressure as Reena tries to dribble past the defence from a long corner.
7:38 pm: The Indians are on the offensive now as Udita takes a reverse hit at the far post which flies narrowly past an unmarked Rani Rampal.
7:36 pm: Rani Rampal takes out five Chinese defenders but loses her balance before taking the shot.
7:36 pm: Final-quarter starts!
7:34 pm: End of third quarter!
7:33 pm: Reena Khokhar hits the sidenetting! The defender dances past four Chinese defenders to find a slot in the centre of the circle but her reverse hit narrowly misses the mark.
7:32 pm: India has been the best team in the third quarter so far winning three penalty corners but the wastefulness from set-pieces has let it down.
7:30 pm: Gurjit goes for a sweeping low drive this time but the Chinese goalkeeper manages to get down in time to parry it away to safety. Another wasted chance.
7:29 pm: Penalty corner for India!
7:27 pm: Gurjit places her drag flick on the top left hand corner which the goalkeeper manages to deflect.
7:26 pm: Lalremsiami wins a penalty corner for India.
7:24 pm: Gurjit loses possession in a dangerous area but the Chinese forward's reverse hit sails far from the Savita.
7:22 pm: India go for a switch play as Udita looks to trap a cross field hit on the edge of the circle but is unable to do so.
7:20 pm: Indian forwards look energised after the break as they enter the Chinese circle for the third time in the quarter.
7:18 pm: The umpire awards another corner for India, but China opt for a referral which ends up in a free hit for India outside the area.
7:16 pm: Penalty corner for India!
7:16 pm: Second half starts
7:05 pm: HALF-TIME: India 0-0 China. China dominated the second quarter with high press upfield and was able to get multiple circle entries. The Indian defence, which has been untested in the group stage, has conceded a corner but managed to keep China from making any dangerous attack on the goal.
7:04 pm: Navneet tries to beat three defenders at once but wins a long corner.
7:02 pm: India has the numerical advantage now as Li Hong is shown a yellow card for a dangerous tackle.
7:00 pm: Lalremsiami is unable to get past the defenders as China regains the possession.
6:57 pm: Udita manages to shoot from the edge of the circle but the shot does not cause any trouble for the goalkeeper.
6:56 pm: Neha Goyal receives a green card making it a 10 on 11 battle for the next two minutes.
6:54 pm: China is shifting gears in attack, pegging the Indians in their own half. Another dangerous attack from the left side is repelled by the Indian defence.
6:52 pm: Penalty corner to China! But the chance is wasted as the drag flicker passes it to the left side but the pass goes unintercepted and out of play.
6:52 pm: Both the teams have been unable to assert themselves in the opposition box but India looked sharper than the 2014 runners-up.
6:50 pm: Second-quarter starts!
6:48 pm: End of first-quarter. India 0-0 China
6:46 pm: China looks for a counter attack but Namita halts the attack midway. India tries to attack from the right side this time with Lilima managing to register a shot on the goal.
6:44 pm: With just three and half minutes left until the first quarter, Indian defence so far has not allowed any room for China's forwards to get near the goal and the attack looked sharper inside the opposition area.
6:42 pm: Udita wins possession on the left but Udita is unable to force the ball onto the Chinese defender's foot.
6:40 pm: Deep Grace Ekka comes up with a timely interception as China try to enter the Indian penalty circle.
6:38 pm: Gurjit's drag flick ricochets off the Chinese runner and is lands safely for a long corner for India.
6:37 pm: First penalty corner for India!
6:35 pm: India makes the first attack of the match as Vandana and Navneet exchange passes on the left but China intercepts Vandana's reverse hit on the far post.
6:34 pm: The Chinese are applying counter press in the midfield forcing India to trace back.
6:32 pm: Cagey start to the match as India tries to play out from the back but the wingers are unable break away.
6:30 pm: First-quarter starts!
6:25 pm: The teams walk on to the pitch for the national anthems.
India will lock horns with 2014 Asian Games’ silver medallist China which finished second in Pool A with resounding wins against Chinese Taipei and Hong Kong and a draw against Malaysia and 4-2 loss to group topper Japan.
India, on the other hand, scored 38 goals and conceded just once while winning all four group games and keeping three cleansheets.
India ended up losing 2-1 when the two sides met previously in the group stages of 2014 Incheon Asian Games. But India (9) will go into the match with a better ranking than China (11) and has momentum on its side going undefeated in the group stages, which also included a 4-1 win against defending champions South Korea.
India’s solitary win against South Korea came way back in 1982 Asian Games where it won the Gold medal-- which till date remains its only Gold medal finish at the continental level.
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