KUALA LUMPUR, 1 June 2005 — Pakistan stayed on course for a fourth title with a 2-2 draw against Olympic champions Australia here at the National Hockey Stadium yesterday.
The young Pakistani side twice squandered a one-goal lead in the match besides missing a series of chances but the team management was understandably pleased with the effort against one of the best sides in the world.
Fellow Asian giants India, however, continued their disappointing run with a 1-4 hammering against Korea.
India, humbled 1-4 by Malaysia on Sunday, made a promising start as they led 1-0 till the 31st minute through a short corner goal by Len Aiyappa but lost track in the second half that saw the speedy Koreans scoring at will.
Korean short corner specialist Seong Jung-kang struck twice in the second half to secure a comfortable win for his side that remains on target for a place in the final with seven points from four games. Sam Seok-kim and Hyo Sik-you scored the other two Koreans goals.
The defeat ended all Indian hopes of playing in the final. Their coach later said his side will now focus on avoiding a last-place finish like the last year’s tournament. “We would try to finish in the top five,” he said.
Pakistan fared much better and controlled the game in the midfield during most of the crucial encounter in energy-sapping conditions, a very encouraging sign for a side that mostly consists of players from the national under-21 squad. “It was a good result for my young boys against the most matured team in the competition,” Pakistan’s coach Tahir Zaman said.
Tahir’s Aussie counterpart Barry Dancer said: “We tried out various combinations and I am not unhappy with the outcome.” The tie helped Pakistan remain on top of the points table with ten points from four matches. The Aussies are on the second spot with eight points.
Pakistan began with a bang, making early inroads in the Australian zone when mercurial right winger Adnan Zakir took the ball from the midfield and gave a clever pass to Rehan Butt whose assist was good enough for Abbasi to make it 1-0 for Pakistan.
Australia scored off their second short corner with Luke Doerner putting the ball in with a low push six minutes from half-time.
Pakistan earned their third short corner in the 43rd minute and Mohammad Imran made it 2-1 with a high drag flick. Another short corner came Pakistan’s way in the following minute but this time Imran was stopped by Australian goalie Stephen Lambert. The Aussies intensified their pressure in the last quarter and almost equalized in the 56th minute but his goal shot hit the post. Pakistan found themselves in a commanding position two minutes later when goal scorer Doerner was sent off. Despite being reduced to ten men, the Aussies did not only hold Pakistan but equalized through skipper Brent Livermore seven minutes from time. The draw means that both Pakistan and Australia remain favorites to play in the June 5 final. The two teams also met in the last year’s final with Australia winning the title.
