The stage is set for the knockout phase of the Asian Champions Trophy. With the stakes rising, the action shifts from the Surjit Hockey Stadium in Jalandhar to the much larger Balbir Singh Senior Hockey Stadium in Mohali.After a well-deserved rest day, defending champions India will face South Korea, while Malaysia will take on Japan in Wednesday’s semifinals.Interestingly, the final day of the round-robin stage in Jalandhar on Monday offered a rehearsal of the semifinals, with Japan edging past Malaysia 2-1 and India hammering Korea 8-0.That, however, does not automatically make Japan and India favourites in the semifinals.Unlike the league stage, a knockout match brings a different intensity, a do-or-die spirit that can push players to new levels. With no second chances on offer, the pressure also rises. That is exactly what Korea will be hoping for, with home pressure working against India while they aim to produce the perfect game.Going by the results of the round-robin stage, India have been a cut above the rest, while Korea have been the weakest of the top four teams.The hosts have dominated all their opponents and, despite slow starts in a couple of matches, have secured comfortable victories. They have scored 34 goals while conceding just five, with in-form captain Harmanpreet Singh netting nine times. Korea have managed only 10 goals, with their two wins coming against minnows China and Bangladesh.Korea have not displayed their usual defensive discipline, while their trademark counter-attacking game has lacked speed and precision. Converting the few chances they create will be crucial. An even bigger challenge, though, will be preventing India from scoring.Given the dominance India have shown throughout the tournament, few would bet against the defending champions.Despite being the favourites, India coach Craig Fulton has warned his side against complacency. “The pressure will be different. We need a good start, that’s going to be the key,” he said.While India are expected to overcome the Korean challenge, predicting the winner of the second semifinal between Malaysia and Japan is far more difficult. Despite Malaysia’s strong start to the tournament, Japan finished the league stage strongly to climb into second place. Despite their recent defeat to Japan, Malaysia’s experience, coupled with their appearance in the recent Asian Games final, gives them a slight edge in the contest.