Pakistan draws a winning match, as teams turn violent.
Friday’s match between the rivals India and Pakistan was, as expected, an exciting one, fitting the image the hockey neighbours have built over the years.
The same India that conceded 8 goals to Australia 48 hours before came out a transformed team. They forgot that humiliation, the worst defeat and played a superior hockey in one half. Its amazing to see their energy and the way midfield and the defence worked.
India forced two penalty corners in the second minute, both Raghunath took, first one wide, second only cleared by Imran Shah.
Within a minute, Danish came good from left flank, send latched on to a rebound from diving goalie, but only hit again the goalie.
Moments after the miss, Tushar was ideally positioned in front of goalmouth, when he got a rebound off goalie after shot from right flank, he guided the ball in the air into the net (1-0).
Next about ten minutes the fight for the ball was even, Indian defence came good many times.
In a breakaway move, otherwise defender Rupinder Singh was very much near the circle, got the ball from Sardar Singh and made a reverse shot, the speed of which must shame even a seasoned forward, but Imran continued his form, came rushing and took it on his body.
Rizwan Jr could have neutralized the lead in the 16th minute, but hit wide with empty goal at his mercy.
Four minutes later Pak earned a deserving penalty corner but PR Sreejesh anticipated the grounder and then Raghunath did a neat job of clearing it.
Moments later after Danish was replaced with Vikas Sharma, the fresh legs added momentum to Indian attack, and this ended with a goal from Rupinder in the 27th minute.
In the next minute, Osman got a chance, a clean ball sent inside the circle,w ith just to beat goalie, but he fumbled and let the ball cross the circle.
After that India missed another penalty corner. In the counter attack when just one minute and 18 seconds remained for the hooter, a combined pak move got them a penalty stroke.
Alas, Sohail Abbasi took it, only to see Sreejesh rushing early and blocking it diving on his right.
It appeared its India’s day.
Pakistan made their intentions clear when trooped in for the second session. There were better organized, attacks were galore. Captain Abbasi and waqas combined well, tore the Indian defence, but waquas could only direct his shot to the side netting. A golden opportunity wasted, one thought.
Many such golden chances came thereafter.
Sohail came good in the 48th minute to convert Pakistan’s second penalty corner in the second half (3-1).
vIn a brief spell, Indian had taken initiative but Rajpal Singh on one to one situation with goalie missed out.
In the 53rd minute, Zubair did the same of Waqas, showing a penchant for side netting.
Next minute Sohail Abbas flopped with a penalty corner, his push traveling hardly two feet, which made Sardar Singh’s job of clearing the ball easier.
After wasting two penalty corners, Sohail scored another, the ball going top corner of the net with a lightening speed (3-2).
Indian team was almost panicky, nervous in tackling, giving away the passes.
About five minutes before the hooter, Michael Nobbs removed otherwise well playing Arjun Halappa and it proved vital game changer. The midfield has become vulnerable.
Sakheel Abbasi, who otherwise wasted some good chances till then, came roaring with a goal (3-3) in the 65th minute.
It was certain at this point, the Indians are clueless, shaky, and almost gave up the fight.
As we already explained in the previous article, Gurbaj, due to his hurried and avoidable act of hitting Rasool, gave away a penalty corner.
Due to the tempers that rose to dizzy heights after that, the match was technically declared a draw without the penalty corner not taken when the team came for resuming the match.
It is surely a match that Pakistan deserved to win with the game they showcased in the second half.