The Asian Games champions, who plumbed the depth in the first leg at Canberra where they lost all three matches, fought back to regain some pride in this second leg that ends on Septemer 27.

A second half rally in their 3-5 defeat against the hosts yesterday following a 3-2 victory over Canada to atone for the frustrating 1-2 loss in the first leg, has lifted the spirits of the players to some extent.

Despite the injury to key defender Dilip Tirkey, the Indians will be eager to avenge the 1-6 drubbing they received from South Korea.

Chief coach Vasudevan Baskaran, a frustrated man after phases of unforced errors by players have cost the team heavily, will hope youngsters like Deepak Thakur and Baljit Singh Dhillon upfront with Anwar Khan and Sukhbir singh Gill in the halfline provide the rightmomentum.

Indian defence has been guilty of conceding too much space to rival forwards, which allowed the Aussies to race to a 3-0 lead yesterday, and the priority would be not to give any liberty around the 25-yard area and the top of the circle.

This crucial build-up, played at the same Homebush facility which will host hockey during next year's Olympics, has not gone very well for India but they have done well to bounce back to some extent in this leg. Goalkeeping, under the spotlight after the seasoned duo of Ashish Ballal and AB Subbaiah were axed following the Asian Games triumph, seems to have been shored up somewhat by Jude Menezes.