A day after a 0-4 thrashing from arch-rivals India, Pakistan suffered a 2-4 defeat at the hands of hosts Malaysia, which sent the Green-shirts out of the title race in Sultan of Johor Junior Hockey Cup in Johor Bahru, Malaysia, on Thursday.
The fourth consecutive win for the hosts helped them accumulate 12 points to secure their berth in Sunday’s final where they will face India, who have also won four straight matches to accumulate 12 points, which gave them an unassailable lead over the third-placed Pakistan.
Pakistan have six points after winning two and losing as many matches. Pakistan will be playing their last league match against Argentina on Saturday.
Malaysia started the match as favourites with some strong showings from their players. Backed by the home crowd, Malaysia forced penalty corners in the 6th and 7th minutes, but failed to capitalise on them.
The forceful show helped the Malaysians gain confidence and they came close to scoring the lead in the 10th minute, but Firhan Ashaari was a bit too late to take an attempt on the Pakistani goal, as the defenders cleared the ball from the danger area.
Pakistani colts tried to put some pressure on the hosts at this stage. Muhammad Dilber, Pakistan’s top scorer in the tournament, put up a brilliant show as he broke through the defence and his shot from the edge of the circle raced past goalkeeper Muhammad Hafizuddin Othman, inches away from the goal in the 13th minute.
Dilber eventually earned his side a 1-0 lead when he deflected a cross from Muhammad Suleman into the goal in the 26th minute.
However, Malaysia took only two minutes to level the arrears when Mohammad Zulhairi Hashim converted a penalty corner, sending his drag flick past Pakistani goalkeeper Mazhar Abbas.
The hosts took the lead when Shahril Saabah, the joint top scorer with India’s Ramandeep Singh in the event, converted a penalty corner, when his shot hit Mazhar’s pads and crept over the goal line.
Pakistan forced three penalty corners in the 45th, 47th and 48th minutes and the team was finally rewarded when defender Muhammad Tousiq’s third attempt on the goal hit Malaysian skipper Fitri Saari on the foot and were awarded penalty stroke by umpire Grant Hudley. Tousiq converted it to equalise the score-line at 2-2.
Malaysia again took the lead in the 52nd minute when Fitri Saari tucked the rebound into the goal after the initial attempt by Shahril was charged down by Pakistani defenders. Mohammad Syamim Yusof then deflected a cross by Rashid Baharom in the 65th minute into the goal to make it 4-2.
Earlier in the day, India thrashed South Korea 6-1, recording their fourth consecutive win in the tournament. Pakistan’s defeat to Malaysia confirmed India’s place in the climax.
No comments:
Post a Comment