Pakistan wrap up junior hockey series with close victory
By Shazad Ali
KARACHI, March 14: A controversial second half goal gave Pakistan a 2-1 victory over Malaysia in the fourth encounter, enabling hosts to win four-match junior hockey series 4-0 on Sunday.
The home side was awarded a goal by umpire Zulfiqar Haider through Mahmood Ali following a goalmouth melee that drew strong reaction from the Malaysian bench at Hockey Club of Pakistan.
Organizers gave Pakistan the winners trophy. Interestingly, The Netherlands were awarded the winners trophy as "gesture of goodwill" despite losing the series on goal difference. However, organizers did not show the same gesture to the Malaysians.
The Malaysians gradually improved after landing in the city as they lost the first game 5-2, were defeated 4-1 and 2-1 in second and third, before 2-1 loss in the fourth match.
Pakistan got off to a flying start when Mahmood Ali back passed and Yasir Islam finished the job perfectly in the 8th minute. Pakistan's Akhtar Ali threatened the opposition as he battled past three defenders in the circle but his reverse hit went wide off the target in the 17th minute.
Malaysia, who forced no less than eight penalty corners in opening 26 minutes, equalised through substitute Bubalan Sandrakasi off an indirect drill in the 18th minute.
Pakistan goalkeeper Mohammad Iqbal first blocked a 23rd-minute penalty corner before producing yet another save when Azli Misron try off a rebound. Sandrakasi again tested Iqbal only to see his reverse flick rattling the bar in the 26th minute. Mahmood wasted a chance in the 31st minute as he failed to control a Imran Khan hit.
Pakistan continued their poor show in the penalty corner department, converting only one out of five, although they had two specialists in Imran Warsi and Mohammad Imran. Imran Warsi, however, was barely utilised during the series as he played in only third game.
Mohammad Imran failed to execute push on second penalty corner in the dying minutes of first half, while he returned frustrated as Malaysian goalkeeper Hanafi Hasan stopped his weak push in the 45th minute.
Pakistan missed an opportunity when substitute Mustansar Sheikh could not connect a right side cross despite being on position. Pakistan went 2-1 up when it seemed Mahmood scored a goal through a deflection following a goalmouth melee in the 52nd minute.
Kashif Yaqoob could not stop a Mahmood cross, while Hasan, who came after lemons replacing Nizam Ibrahim, stopped Mohammad Imran try on Pakistan's fifth short corner. The hosts pressed to increase the lead in the dying moments of the game, Tariq Aziz shaking the bar after a Akhtar Ali free hit near the circle.
Pakistan Juniors: Mohammad Iqbal, Ikhlaq AHmad, Tariq Yameen, Mohammad Imran, Tariq Aziz, Imran Khan, Mohammad Arif, Yasir Islam, Mahmood Ali, Kashif Yaqoob, Akhtar Ali.
Malaysia Juniors: Nizam Ibrahim, Abd Malek, Baljit Singh, Sallehin Abd Ghani, Sufian Mohamad, Jivan Mohan, Prahbakaran Periyathamby, Azli Misron, Ahmad Tajuddin, Sevaraju Sandrakasi, Kevinder Singh.
