LAHORE: Pakistan beat China 3-1 to finish a poor seventh at the Hockey World League (HWL) semi-final round at London’s Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park on Sunday.

With this victory, Pakistan are virtually assured of a place in the 2018 World Cup, said the information made available to APP here.

Finishing seventh meant a virtually assured berth in the next year’s World Cup and Pakistan cut it fine in a nerve wrecking tensed tie in which it was goalless with just 10 minutes left.

For the team at the eighth position, the qualification wasn’t guaranteed.

In the 51st minute, Ammad Shakeel Butt, perhaps the most impressive Pakistani player in this event, beautifully robbed a defender. After a good run along the left flank, he slipped the ball to Dilber near the circle whose first touch found Umar Bhutta in an excellent position. Bhutta’s angular shot hit the right corner of the goal.

A goal down, China put more players forward leaving gaps in the defence.

Two more goals came in quick succession in the 56th minute. A sweeping counter starting from deep inside Pakistan’s territory resulted in Bhutta, again, making it 2-0 with a reverse flick.

Then an excellent reverse hit from the left was deflected into the cage by a diving Irfan Junior.

China got a consolation goal with two minutes left on the clock.

A ball into the circle was well dispatched on the board by an unmarked Guo Xiaoping with a first time strike.

It was quite an absorbing contest with stakes high for both the sides. The first half saw the two sides creating chances through open play as well as the PCs.

The third quarter was also entertaining; an up and down stuff at quite a fast pace.Then arrived the exciting last quarter with goals aplenty.

Pakistan exhibited dismal show in the event, losing three back-to-back league matches to Holland, Canada and India.

Published in Dawn, June 26th, 2017