<p class="title">India lived up to their billing and thrashed South Africa 5-1 in the summit clash to win the FIH Series Finals hockey tournament here on Saturday.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Coming into the tournament as overwhelming favourites, world no 5 India played like champions and remained unbeaten throughout the tournament.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Drag flickers Varun Kumar (2nd and 49th minutes) and Harmanpreet Singh (11th and 25th) scored a brace each, while Vivek Sagar Prasad (35th) was the other goal scorer for India.</p>.<p class="bodytext">South Africa's lone goal was scored by Richard Pautz in the 53rd minute.</p>.<p class="bodytext">India and South Africa have already qualified for the final round of the Olympic qualifiers before Saturday's summit clash.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Earlier in the day, Asian Games champion Japan defeated USA 4-2 to finish third in the competition.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The top two finishers of this tournament make it to the final round of the Olympic qualifiers to be held later this year.</p>.<p class="bodytext">India secured their first penalty corner as early as in the second minute and Varun made no mistake in converting the opportunity into goal.</p>.<p class="bodytext">In the 11th minute, India got another penalty corner and this time Harmanpreet slammed home to make the scoreline 2-0 in favour of the hosts.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Seconds before the end of the first quarter, South Africa got a rare opportunity but Nqobile Ntuli's reverse hit was kept away by Krishan Bahadur Pathak in front of the Indian goal.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Five minutes from half-time, India were awarded a penalty stroke when Birendra Lakra was stick-checked inside South Africa's 'D' by Jethro Eustice and Harmanpreet made no mistake to make the scoreline 3-0.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The flow of the match continued in the same vein after the change of ends with India dominating the proceedings.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Five minutes into the third quarter, India extended their lead when Vivek scored from close range after being set up by Simranjeet Singh.</p>.<p class="bodytext">India got their third penalty corner in the 41st minute but this time Amit Rohidas' try was saved by the South African goalkeeper.</p>.<p class="bodytext">India kept up the pressure and earned their fourth penalty corner in the 49th minute and Varun scored from a variation to make the scoreline 5-0 in the home team's favour.</p>.<p class="bodytext">South Africa finally had something to cheer about when they secured back-to-back penalty corners in the 53rd minute and from the second chance, Pautz deflected in Eustice's flick to reduce the margin to 5-1.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Four minutes from the final hooter, India got two more penalty corners but failed to utilise the opportunities.</p>.<p class="bodytext">South Africa too got a last chance to pull another goal back in the form of their third penalty corner but to no effect. </p>
<p class="title">India lived up to their billing and thrashed South Africa 5-1 in the summit clash to win the FIH Series Finals hockey tournament here on Saturday.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Coming into the tournament as overwhelming favourites, world no 5 India played like champions and remained unbeaten throughout the tournament.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Drag flickers Varun Kumar (2nd and 49th minutes) and Harmanpreet Singh (11th and 25th) scored a brace each, while Vivek Sagar Prasad (35th) was the other goal scorer for India.</p>.<p class="bodytext">South Africa's lone goal was scored by Richard Pautz in the 53rd minute.</p>.<p class="bodytext">India and South Africa have already qualified for the final round of the Olympic qualifiers before Saturday's summit clash.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Earlier in the day, Asian Games champion Japan defeated USA 4-2 to finish third in the competition.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The top two finishers of this tournament make it to the final round of the Olympic qualifiers to be held later this year.</p>.<p class="bodytext">India secured their first penalty corner as early as in the second minute and Varun made no mistake in converting the opportunity into goal.</p>.<p class="bodytext">In the 11th minute, India got another penalty corner and this time Harmanpreet slammed home to make the scoreline 2-0 in favour of the hosts.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Seconds before the end of the first quarter, South Africa got a rare opportunity but Nqobile Ntuli's reverse hit was kept away by Krishan Bahadur Pathak in front of the Indian goal.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Five minutes from half-time, India were awarded a penalty stroke when Birendra Lakra was stick-checked inside South Africa's 'D' by Jethro Eustice and Harmanpreet made no mistake to make the scoreline 3-0.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The flow of the match continued in the same vein after the change of ends with India dominating the proceedings.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Five minutes into the third quarter, India extended their lead when Vivek scored from close range after being set up by Simranjeet Singh.</p>.<p class="bodytext">India got their third penalty corner in the 41st minute but this time Amit Rohidas' try was saved by the South African goalkeeper.</p>.<p class="bodytext">India kept up the pressure and earned their fourth penalty corner in the 49th minute and Varun scored from a variation to make the scoreline 5-0 in the home team's favour.</p>.<p class="bodytext">South Africa finally had something to cheer about when they secured back-to-back penalty corners in the 53rd minute and from the second chance, Pautz deflected in Eustice's flick to reduce the margin to 5-1.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Four minutes from the final hooter, India got two more penalty corners but failed to utilise the opportunities.</p>.<p class="bodytext">South Africa too got a last chance to pull another goal back in the form of their third penalty corner but to no effect. </p>