Despite playing good hockey, India failed to scored enough, and had to be content with playing Australia A in the bronze medal match at Perth on Thursday.
India needed an outright victory to make it to the final, but could only manage a draw (1-1) today at Bunbury. However, the match was played in high spirit, and both sides showed enormous sports spirit compared what happened on the last Friday, when the tempers ran high.
Sohail Abbas, who otherwise had a bad day, put Pakistan on drivers seat with an immaculate conversion in the 2nd minute itself.
It was to the credit of young Yuvraj that India equalized in the 26th minute, he tapped on to a rebound from rival goalie Imran Shah.
There were attacks plenty in the second half, but goals did not come. India’s Chetri played a superb game.
The match did nor rise to the level expected of the famed rivals. However both teams played attacking hockey with poor finish.
In the second half Pakistan had ample chances to go up. Shakeel Abbasi could manage to pierce Indian defence totally, at least thrice he took on his own into the circle, before giving to others. However, Bharat Chetri reserved his best for the day and came out with excellent clearances.
Once a slow rebound was beyond the sight of Chetri, ever-green Sardar Singh cleared it on the goaline, a definite saviour act for India.
Same Sardar worked very hard in the midfield and defence and also sent twice great diagonal passes that reached the right flag area, where once Sunil, on the other occasion to Sarwanjit. Both could not make use of.
In the 17th minute, Sandeep Singh sent a good through pass from midfield to top of D, sarwantjit at top of D could not stop at the top of circle, another chance to go up wasted.
Next minute, Pillay bounced on to a rebound but could only hit on the charging Imran Shah. It’s a half chance for India.
Yuvraj and Sunil showed clear pair of heels to the Pak defence in the 19th minute, but Yuvraj could not keep his shot into the circle low.
After Yuvraj made amends for his lapses earlier in the 26th minute, canceling out Sohail Abbas’s 2nd minute goal, Tushar, coming to play after a match suspension, missed a god send opportunity in the 29th minute, delaying his shot at the top of circle.
Moments after Sohail Abbas stopped a SV Sunil’s shot, Pakistan got its second penalty corner when just 1.33 min remained in the clock for lemon time. Sohail thankfully for India shot wide.
After resumption Sandeep Singh made a solo that ended as him negotiating third penalty corner of India, but he would put the ball straight on to the body of the goalie.
India on its turn survived a penalty corner in the 41st minute
Pakistan kept on attacking and Imran Mohammad’s shot at goal had all trappings of a goal, but Chetri covered the angle in time.
Sunil and Manpreet combined well to be in the Pak circle, but Irfan came quickly and stopped the shot.
In the 57th minute, Rupinder Pal, who played as a forward, was stickchecked, and India got penalty corner. Ragunath played dummy for Sandeep Singh to take the shot, it was poor, leading another of Shakeel Abbasi’s counter attack.
A backpass, a bit later, misfired for India, but survived.
By and large, it’s a game of missed chances for both.