The home team were favourites heading into the match at Kalinga Stadium and immediately hit the front.

Varun Kumar found the net from penalty corner after two minutes, before Harmanpreet Singh doubled the advantage nine minutes later.

Varun and Harmanpreet scored their second goals of the game, split by a strike from Vivek Prasad.

South Africa managed a consolation effort, Richard Pautz scoring in the 54th minute to pull the scoreline back to 5-1.

India and South Africa had achieved their main aim of the tournament yesterday, with semi-final victories ensuring the nations of a place in one of seven Olympic qualifiers taking place later this year.

They will hope to join Japan, who are assured of a place in next year’s Olympic tournament as the host nation.

The Asian Games champions' build-up to the Games continued with a bronze medal in Bhubaneswar, as they saw off the United States.

Aki Kaeppeler had given the US a 1-0 lead in the 10th minute of the playoff, only for Kazuma Murata to level a minute later.

Goals from Yoshikiri Kirishita and a second from Kaeppeler saw the scores locked at 2-2 heading into the final minute, before a quick-fire double from Kenta Tanaka gave Japan a 4-2 victory.