Sluggish Indian girls went down 2-3 to China in the last pool match,yet as Japan would defeat Korea earlier in the day, the same Chinese will engage India again tomorrow in the gold medal clash.
Trailing 0-2 in the third quarter, India even out with a field effort and another through penalty corner, but hardly three minutes left in the clock, precise China posted the winner through shining captain Zhou Shan. China needed a win to be in the final to pip strong contender Japan, and the win just provided that.
Earlier, India missed gilt three edges chances it created in the first half giving enough elbow room for the Chinese to come back in the second session after first half remained barren.
As early as within five minutes, Poonam set up Vandana, but she shot wide from close quarters.
Poonam herself let go a golden chance, failing to tap in a rebound from lanky Yu Huaran, the goalie.
However, the Indians kept up the pressure, and experienced Rani Ramphal was quite adept at flummoxing Chinese defenders to earn penalty corners in numbers.
However, Indian drill here was found wanting.
Improper or almost not stopping the pushed ball, ill-practiced indirect and other shortfalls, did not trouble the Chinese defence.
On a breakaway move, Yan Cheng sent the ball with a forehand from left side of net, it got struck E. Rajani, but the rebound ball slowly rolled towards the goal. Nikky Pradhan, who was covering Rajani, tried to stop the slow ball from crossing the deadly line, but got slipped, disparate stick stretching did not connect.
Sixteen minutes later, China launched a counter which ended in Qiu Guo enhancing the lead.
The lead doused the hopes of sizeable Indian crowd who turned up with tabla and many tricolours.
India got a fresh life when Poonam Rani Malik bounced on to a penalty corner rebound to reduce the margin of lead to 1-2.
Indians now played the best part of their game.
They were on a attacking mode.
It bore fruit. Vandana Kataria, who just missed a sitter on the right, changed side and whacked a feed from top of circle to level the score 2-2.
However, the last penalty corner conceded by India just less than three minutes before the hooter, got the Chinese full points, and thus making it to a dream final.