KUALA LUMPUR: Asian champion Pakistan earned the right Saturday to play world champion Australia in the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup final after beating host Malaysia 3-2 in their last preliminary round match. The team was helped by the fact that Great Britain, which had been in the running for a finals berth, lost 3-1 to South Korea in an earlier match. Australia, which had already booked its final berth ahead of today's match, defeated New Zealand 4-2, to keep its date with Pakistan Sunday. Australia leads the standings with 16 points while Pakistan is in second place with 12 points, with the Brits in third on nine points as New Zealand, India and South Korea tie with seven points apiece. Pakistan manager K.M. Junaid said the team was happy to have made the final and hoped to play better this time around against the world champions. Sohail Abbas gave Pakistan the first goal in the eighth minute and Muhammad Waqas followed up with a second before Malaysia opened its account in the 35th minute through Hafifihafiz Hanafi. In the second half, Pakistan increased its lead through Shakeel Abbasi with the Malaysians reducing the deficit in the 57th minute through Muhammad Razie Rahim but the late charge failed to reel in the Pakistanis. Finland-Sweden final Finland upset last year's runner-up Russia 3-0 here Friday to clinch a place in the World Ice-hockey Championship's final in Bratislova. In Sunday's final Finland will face Sweden, who battled back from a goal down to dethrone 2010 winners Czech Republic to earn their first final spot since 2006. The Finns, who upset Russia 3-2 in a penalty shootout in their qualifying round showdown Monday, have never before won two consecutive matches against Russia at the world championships. In the earlier semifinal the Czechs were 1-0 up after Patrik Elias scored 46sec into the second period. The Swedes replied positively scoring through Patrik Berglund, Mikael Backlund, Jimmie Ericsson and Marcus Kruger to clinch a comfortable 4-1 lead. Elias reduced the arrears with his second of the match at 54:22 but Berglund finalised the scoring also with his second firing into the empty net with 47sec remaining.
