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| August 24, 2003 | Sunday | Jumadi-us-Sani 25 |
Pakistan and Indian Juniors clash today
GNIEZNO (Poland), Aug 23: Pakistani youngsters will be hoping to chalk out their first win against India when they face arch-rival in the last league encounter of 6-nation Junior Challenge International Hockey tournament on Sunday.
The match between the two great rivals will decide the fate of the week-long competition.
Pakistan demonstrated their firepower against Poland with a fighting 6-3 win. However despite notching-up 5-2 and 4-2 victories, against Malaysia and Germany respectively, the boys showed inconsistency at times.
Tariq Aziz’s team must get their act togather to win their first event after the formation of this team about a year ago. It will be first major breakthrough for the youngsters if they were able to emerge victorious.
Young Pakistanis will be looking forward to avenge their senior team’s defeat in 25th Champions Trophy in Amstelveen at the hands of India on Friday.
This will be fourth tie between the two teams with India enjoying clear cut advantage, having beaten Pakistan juniors twice and last game ended in 2-2 draw in Cairo (Egypt) last March.
However Indians have inducted several new boys after many of their players elevated in the senior team.
India beat Pakistan 3-0 at Cairo last October and in January they whipped same team 2-0 in four-nation contest in Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia).
It will also be a contest between penalty corner strikers Muhamad Imran of Pakistan and Sandeep Singh of India. Imran had scored two goals to Sandeep’s four in the championship sofar on penalty corners.
Meanwhile, team manager Col (Retd) Abdul Rauf claimed that the boys had gained experience and exposure during their month-long European tour and team was getting into shape.
“We have largely achieved our goals and objectives during this trip and it helped us in analyzing the boys” he said.
“Forwards have shown their potential and Muhammad Imran emerged as the star of the tour”, he said. He said captain Tariq Aziz was the most outstanding forward of the tour.
Rauf maintained that victories against The Netherlands in four-nation contest in Alcala la Real (Spain) and triumph against Spain senior team in practice series showed the talent they possess.
He said considering boys were playing against European teams for the first time it was great performance. The victory against Poland here was highlight of the tour, he added.
“We are looking to wrap-up the tour on winning note against Indians on Sunday” he said.
He said Pakistan deep defence and half line was already very good and forwards also showed marked improvement. “The European tour was perfect build-up for the December’s international event in Lahore and for the April 2004 Asia Junior Cup in Karachi” he stressed.
“Our main target is to qualify for the 2005 Junior World Cup in Holland”, he asserted.—APP
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