INCHEON: Mohammad Waqas scored the winner six minutes from time as defending champions Pakistan downed arch-rivals India 2-1 to reach the Asian Games semi-finals on Thursday.

In a keenly contested pool ‘B’ encounter at the Seonhak Hockey Stadium, Mohammad Umar Bhutta put Pakistan ahead in the third quarter before Nikkin Thimmaiah drew level at the start of the fourth.

Waqas took advantage of a defensive lapse to hit the winner that gave unbeaten Pakistan a place in the semi-finals even before their last league match against Oman on Saturday.

The winner between India and China on Saturday will determine the other semi-finalist from the pool. Both teams are level on six points from three matches.

Pakistan’s coach Shahnaz Sheikh played down the rivalry against India, saying it was more important to gain full points from the match.

“I think we played our best game in the tournament,” Shahnaz said. “Every match counts in an event like this and we are capable of doing well against any team.

“In Pakistan, hockey is a national sport and people celebrate when we win. It is not only about India. They want us to do well against every team.”

With the winner gaining a direct entry into the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Sheikh is anxious to get the gold medal again.

“We did not qualify for the World Cup and that was a huge blow,” he said. “We need to win this one because the qualifiers are tough.”

India’s Australian coach Terry Walsh was livid at the defeat, but said his team’s campaign was not over yet.

“It was frustrating to watch the game from outside,” said Walsh. “But the good thing is that it was just a three-point match, not a semi-final or a final.

“Pakistan had more desire to win than we did. Now we have to concentrate on the match against China. I will make sure our guys get more competitive.”

Touted as the match to watch out for in the competition, this was a duel of technical superiority as both the teams showed great skills on the turf while playing fast-paced hockey.

With injured Rupinderpal Singh ruled out of the match, the onus was on V.R. Raghunath to deliver with penalty corners but the burly drag-flicker continued to misfire in the tournament as he wasted two set pieces for India.

Ramandeep Singh wasted three good chances while his striking partner Akashdeep Singh shot straight to goalkeeper Imran Butt from close range in the second quarter.

Pakistan too had their share of chances and Waqas came close to scoring in the second quarter but his reverse shot, with only Indian goalkeeper P.R. Sreejesh to beat, went wide.

The holders, though, took the lead in the 38th minute when Umar sneaked in a field goal from a goalmouth melee and opened the account for the Greenshirts after Waqas’ initial try was saved by Sreejesh.

Rocked by Pakistan’s goal, India went on the offensive and looked threatening in the fourth and final quarter but goal continued to elude them as the forwards lacked finishing.

Danish Mujtaba came close to restoring the parity in the 49th but his fine deflection from Kothajit Singh’s pass was brilliantly kept away by Imran however they levelled the game four minutes later when Thimmaiah sliced in a field goal.

India’s joy was shortlived as a minute later Pakistan restored lead through Waqas’ reverse-hit as the Indian defence was caught napping by the pace of the Pakistani players.

Published in Dawn, September 26th, 2014