Busan: High on confidence after winning a nerve-wracking semi-final against Pakistan, the Indian hockey team is now trying to spruce up its forward-line as it goes into the final against South Korea on Saturday hoping to scoop a second successive gold medal in Asian Games.

Coach Rajinder Singh was obviously upbeat about India's chances in the final but said the forward line needed to tighten up a bit while the penalty corner conversion needed to be improved.

"The forwards need to tighten a bit. We have faltered in the striking circle quite a few times," Rajinder Singh said. "The penalty corner conversion has also not been up to the mark in this tournament. We were doing quite well in this department in the Champions Trophy and we must get it right on Saturday," he said.

Saturday's match between the two teams will be a repeat of the final in Bangkok in 1994 when India had pipped South Korea in the penalty shoot-out to win the gold only for the second time.

Rajinder Singh said his team was quite capable of repeating that result in what would be the third straight Asian Games final between the two sides. "I am quite confident about my players and if they play to their potential, I am sure that the gold medal will be ours," he said.

"But the Koreans cannot be taken lightly. They will be playing before the home crowd."

"We have kept up our performance and the boys have maintained the tempo from the very first match against Hong Kong. Everything has been working to our plan and the scheme of things now is to retain our gold medal," Rajinder Singh said.

Like in the match against Pakistan, much will depend on the form of star striker Dhanraj Pillay who is the inspiration for the entire team. Pillay scored the first two goals against Pakistan and if the ball rolls kindly to him again then no defence is safe.

Pillay, who is always guided by instinct and emotion, will be watched from the stands by his mentor and former captain Mohammad Shahid on Saturday.

Going by the present form of the Indian team, the only worry has been the inability of the forward line to give finishing touches to the moves and that has been pointed out by the coach in nearly every post-match press conference.

Gagan Ajit Singh got the deflections and trappings right against Pakistan on Thursday but Deepak Thakur has to improve in this area. With Prabhjot Singh not being available due to a ligament tear, his replacement Daljit Singh has also been wanting on a few occasions though he did slot home two goals in the previous matches.

The Indian mid-fielders have been doing a remarkable job forking up chances with proficiency and the strategy of playing Pillay as a withdrawn forward paid dividends on Thursday.

The Indian defence in penalty corner has been good, despite the two superb drag- flicked goals by Sohail Abbas on Thursday, and needless frills in the circle has been eliminated.

The Koreans on the other hand are determined to avenge their defeat in Bangkok and as coach Jeon Jae Hong put it, a gold medal win before the home crowd would be a big moment for the team.

The Koreans have experienced campaigners like Seok Kyo Shin in the defence, Woon Kon Yeo in mid-field and Seong Tae Song, Jong Hyn Hwang and Jong Ha Jeon in the attack.

All of them have shown solidity in their game but there has been a drop in their efficiency in the last two games. If the Indians mark these players successfully, it will be difficult for the hosts to enter the Indian circle.

PTI