|
|
|
| March 19, 2006 | Sunday | Safar 18, 1427 |
Two-goal Maqsood helps Pakistan whip India
MELBOURNE, March 18: Adnan Maqsood scored two goals as Pakistan opened their Commonwealth Games field hockey campaign by drubbing arch-rivals India 4-1 on Saturday.
A three-goal burst in the second half saw Pakistan comfortably home after the teams were locked 1-1 at half-time.
Tejbir Singh gave India the lead in the 14th minute, but Mudassar Khan drew level 10 minutes later with a hard strike from the top of the circle.
Tariq Aziz and Maqsood netted two goals in as many minutes soon after resumption before Maqsood sealed India’s fate by deflecting in a penalty corner shot in the 58th for his team’s fourth goal.
Pakistan should have won by a bigger margin, but captain Mohammad Saqlain wasted a penalty stroke by scooping wide off the post.
India, who drew with Malaysia 1-1 on Friday, need big wins in their remaining two matches against South Africa and Trinidad to stay in contention for the semi-finals from group B.
“Those two quick goals in the second half did us in,” said Indian coach Rajinder Singh. “Pakistan’s forwards were just too quick for us.”
Pakistan manager Saeed Khan said the win will boost their chances of reaching the final.
“It is always nice to start with a win,” he said. “We have played India a lot in the recent past and know their game well.We have to be as consistent in our other games.”
New Zealand, meanwhile, took three points in group A with an emphatic 4-1 win over a Canadian team playing their first match.
The Kiwis, who went down fighting 3-4 to England on Friday, lifted their game in time to stay in contention for the semi-finals.
Shea McAleese led the way with two goals on either side of the interval, while Gareth Brooks and Simon Child also contributed to New Zealand’s tally.
Brooks gave the Kiwis a fourth minute lead which was equalised 12 minutes later by Canada’s Wayne Fernandes.
Three more goals by New Zealand gave them three points from two matches.
With Olympic champions Australia expected to top the group, England and New Zealand will fight for the second semifinal spot.
Later England beat Scotland 3-1.—Agencies
Standings
(Played, won, drawn, lost, goals for, goals against, points):
Men
Group A
England 2 2 0 0 7 4 6
Australia 1 1 0 0 5 1 3
New Zealand 2 1 0 1 7 5 3
Canada 1 0 0 1 1 4 0
Scotland 2 0 0 2 2 8 0
Group B
Malaysia 2 1 1 0 9 1 4
South Africa 1 1 0 0 6 1 3
Pakistan 1 1 0 0 4 1 3
India 2 0 1 1 2 5 1
Trinidad 2 0 0 2 1 14 0
|
|
|
|
