India, Oct. 1 -- Abhishek's dramatic field goal with just 49 seconds left on the clock salvaged a heart-stopping 4-3 victory for India over rivals Pakistan in the Asian Games semi-final on Friday in Kakamigahara.

The late strike propelled India into the gold medal match against either Malaysia or South Korea, extending their decade-long unbeaten streak against Pakistan to 22 matches. Yet, beneath the euphoria of reaching the final lies a stark warning for chief coach Craig Fulton - a near-disastrous defensive collapse that saw India squander a commanding 3-0 lead.

The match was a tale of two halves, perfectly encapsulating both India's blistering attacking pedigree and their lingering defensive fragility.

India dictated the tempo from ...