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Asian Champions Trophy

Sir john

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Sir john

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Malaysia held, Pak next 08_09_pg20a.jpg

The Indian hockey team continued its unbeaten run, fighting back from a goal down to hold Malaysia 2-2 in the Asian Champions Trophy on Wednesday, but it is still not assured of a place in the final until it takes on archrivals Pakistan on Friday. The goal-scorers for India were Ravi Pal (9th min) and Danish Mujtaba (52nd), while Tajuddin Jalil and Mohd Amin Rahim struck for Malaysia in the 24th and 32nd minute respectively. A win against Malaysia would have given India 10 points and a berth in the final, but they will now have to wait till Friday when they clash with Pakistan. Meanwhile, Asian Games champions Pakistan pipped South Korea 3-2 and are now on top of the table with nine points, followed by India on eight. Japan are third with seven points and Korea are fourth with six points in the kitty. That puts four teams with a possibility of entering the final. IndiaÃÔ match with Pakistan becomes a virtual semifinal, as Michael Nobbs' men need to beat them in order to enter the final. http://www.hindustantimes.com/Images/HTEditImages/Images/08_09_pg20a.jpg India can afford a draw provided Malaysia beat Japan. India could then sneak into the final on better goal average, that too if Korea beat China, the lowest ranked team in the tournament. Goal averages would also count for Pakistan and Korea if India beat Pakistan. The safest bet for India, however, would be to beat Pakistan. Attack mode India were in attack mode right from the start as Gurwinder Singh Chandi made his customary runs into the Malaysian circle, but the first few appeals for penalty-corners were disallowed. The first goal came in the ninth minute when SV Sunil's shot was padded away by goalkeeper Roslan Jamaluddin to Ravi Pal, who picked up the high rebound to push home. Malaysia reacted fiercely and got the equaliser from their third penalty-corner when Jalil deflected the flick past India goalkeeper Sreejesh in the 24th minute. They broke into the lead eight minutes later when Sreejesh kicked the ball into an Indian defender's leg, thus conceding a penalty-corner, which was converted by Amin. India went hunting for their second goal but the Malaysian defenders stood firm. India eventually equalised in the 52nd minute when midfielder Gurbaj Singh essayed a brilliant central cross from the right to a diving Danish Mujtaba who made no mistake. A few more sharp chances came India's way but the Malaysian defence did well to thwart them. Tensions mounted as India launched their last attack with 15 seconds to go, but Gurbaz and Sunil failed to finish off the move. Pak overhaul Korea Pakistan took the lead in the seventh minute when Muhammad Waqas struck from the right. The lead became 2-0 in the 13th minute when Muhammad Irfan powered in a penalty-corner. Korea fought back after the break and reduced the margin in the 43rd minute when Sun Hoon Cho shot in from close. Korea then equalised in the 52nd minute through Hyun Woo Nam, but Pakistan's Shafqat Rasool scored the match-winner in the 57th minute. In another match, Japan beat China 3-2. China took the lead in the 27th minute when Song Yi converted a field attempt. Japan fought back with
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Roshanrocks Newbie

Roshanrocks

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tune ko kaha tha ki tere paas waqt nahi hai internet ke liye aur jo bacha kucha waqy hai tu PP me post karne me bitata hai... achaanak time kaise mil raha hai? achcha hi hai, jaddu jo team me wapas aa gaya :) On Topic... we have been beating Pakistan very regularly in the recent times and hope we continue to do the same in this virtual semi final... All the best boys (cheer)

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Sir john Newbie

Sir john

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tune ko kaha tha ki tere paas waqt nahi hai internet ke liye aur jo bacha kucha waqy hai tu PP me post karne me bitata hai... achaanak time kaise mil raha hai? achcha hi hai, jaddu jo team me wapas aa gaya :) On Topic...
:yay::yay::yay::yay::yay::yay: now i am fully back
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Sir john

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India and Pakistan to clash in Asian Champions Trophy final

India staged a remarkable fightback to hold Pakistan to a 2—2 draw in their last league match before depending on Malaysia’s heroics to set up a summit showdown with their arch rivals in the Asian Champions Trophy hockey tournament here today. While the 2—2 draw was enough to give Pakistan a berth in the final, India’s passage came only because Malaysia came from the dead to beat Japan 3—2 in their last league game. Malaysia was required to get the better of Japan to help India reach the final. Unbeaten in the tournament, India dominated the barren first half but conceded two goals in two minutes to trail 0—2 by the 42nd minute only to come from behind to draw the match under chilly and windy conditions. Pakistan took a 2—0 lead through Muhammad Waqas (40th minute) and Muhammad Irfan (42nd) but India responded immediately with Rupinder (46th) finding the target from an indirect penalty corner while Danish Mujtaba scored the equaliser in the 53rd minute. Pakistan on 10 points and India with 9 points will battle for supremacy in the final on Sunday. Japan and Malaysia will now again play for the 3rd/4th position as they finished on an identical seven points. Korea will play China for the 5th/6th position. Korea has seven points but an inferior goal difference (—1) pushed them down the table. The India—Pakistan clash turned out to be a thriller as both teams played their hearts out. Mujtaba’s equaliser, a deflection from his stick, was a tad controversial as New Zealand umpire Simon Taylor did not initially award a goal. But the Indians appealed and the South Korean umpire, after consultations with Taylor, let the goal stand. Under seven degree temperature and chilly wind blowing, both India and Pakistan started off slowly testing each other on the flanks and in the midfield. No quarter was given by both the sides in the first five minutes. Slowly India increased the tempo as the right flank stretched the Pakistan defence creating openings in the centre. Danish Mujtaba, Gurwinder Singh Chandi, Ravi Pal and Sunil sent some perfect crosses into the Pakistan striking circle. But the forwards were either bunched up or not in the file where they could have latched onto the cross. Once captain Rajpal Singh sped down the right flank but Yuvraj Walmiki and Sunil stood together and could not pick up the cross that beat the Pakistan goalkeeper Imran Shah. The Indian midfield was outstanding except a few errors that came under pressure. Ravi Pal and especially Gurbaj Singh were the players who kept the Pakistan defence under pressure. If there was a man—of—the—match, it should have been Gurbaz who played defensive hockey and when the need arose kept the right flank and the forwards well fed with through balls. India’s penalty corner weakness was again exposed when they had two in succession in the 20th and 21st minutes but both were way off target. It was critical to hit the corners of the net but for some reason Rupinder Pal and Raghunath went for the middle and straight to the Pakistani goalkeeper who saved them effortlessly. In the 23rd minute, Pakistan had their first look at the Indian goal when Shafqat Rasool found himself face—to—face with Bharat Chettri in the Indian goal. Shafqat shot straight to Bharat who padded it away to safety. At the break, both the teams were locked goalless. Five minutes after resumption, Waseem Ahmed intercepted an Indian move and won an infringement just outside the Indian striking circle. His cross into the circle went straight to an unmarked Muhammad Waqas. The Pakistan striker had enough time to send in a first timer that beat Indian goalkeeper Chhetri. It was India’s first defensive lapse and they paid heavily. Two minutes later, Shakeel Abassi and a host of Pakistan forwards moved in and won Pakistan’s first penalty corner. Muhammad Irfan sent a flyer into the right corner of the net to notch up Pakistan’s second goal. India fought back as Sunil and Mujtaba sped into the Pakistan striking circle and won their third penalty corner of the match. It seemed doomed to fail when Ignace Tirkey could not to stop the ball cleanly but he had enough presence of mind to tap it for Mujtaba who sent a perfect cross for Rupinder to whack the ball into the Pakistan goal. With the scoreline cut to 1—2, India were back in the match as they attacked with renewed energy. They were egged on by the women’s hockey team and also by the Indian Ambassador to China who had flown into Ordos for the match. As the match progressed, the field got spread out with Pakistan looking to build on the lead while India searched desperately for the equaliser. India had an opening in the 53rd minute when Manjit Kullu sent a full—blooded cross into the Pakistan striking circle. Danish Mujtaba with his back to the Pakistan goal touched it with his stick and it sped into the Pakistan goal. The Indians celebrated but to their dismay the Kiwi umpire Simon Taylor pointed for a free hit to Pakistan. The Indian players immediately protested with Mujtaba saying he had deflected the ball in. Simon went to the Korean umpire You Su Long and checked with him and after a minute of consultation awarded the goal to India. Pakistan did protest but Simon pointed to the centre for the match to begin. The match was now getting bottled up in the midfield as both the teams were cautious in making moves. Man—to—man marking took over. Pakistan seemed more relaxed but the Indians did not want to lose and give away their fight for a place in the final. India had their fourth penalty corner in the 59th minute but Rupinder Pal Singh again went through the middle as the Pakistan rusher took the flick on the stick. With eight minutes left in the match, Pakistan had a sitter when Abdul Haseem Khan trapped in front of the Indian goal and with Chettri caught on the wrong side sent the ball over the cross bar. With time running out, Pakistan played safe as a draw was enough for them to reach the final. Indian coach Michael Nobbs rued that his side would have won had they converted the penalty corners. “Penalty corners let us down but the boys would have learnt from this high pressure match and I hope we get another match with them in the final,” said Nobbs.
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