AMSTERDAM, 23 August 2003 — India overcame a 3-2 deficit at half time to defeat arch-rival’s Pakistan 7-4 in a drama-packed tie at the men’s Champions Trophy field hockey tournament here yesterday.
Five second half goals from India’s young strikers gave their country a seven-goal scoreline for the first time against Pakistan with their fans invading the pitch at the final whistle as if they had won the World Cup.
“This is one of the best victories of my career since 1990 and to win with the largest score against Pakistan in my memory is wonderful,” said India captain Dhanraj Pillay.
Pakistan coach Tahir Zaman said his side threw the match away. “I told the boys to hold possession and play steady hockey in the second half but they could not control their emotions and got tired in the last 10 minutes as they tried to push forward and score,” said Tahir.
“We need to learn from our mistakes and to play India more often to reduce the extraordinary pressure surrounding these matches between India and Pakistan,” he added.
In a match where passions reached fever pitch, frustration boiled over in the last three minutes when Muhammad Saqlain and Prabhjot Singh clashed and had to be pulled apart by umpires and players. Saqlain and Gagan Ajit Singh clashed a minute later and Gagan received a yellow card which mollified Pakistan.
Pakistan had gotten off to a steady start opening the scoring with Rehan Butt tipping in off their third penalty corner low to the right post after 18 minutes, and two minutes later Nadeem Ahmad claimed a second. Jugraj Singh got one back for India with a penalty corner flick just inside the right post after 24 minutes.
Pakistan caught India napping four minutes later when Mudassar Ali drove home, before India clawed one back on half time through Jugraj’s second penalty corner conversion, flicked high to the top right of the net for a half-time lead of 3-2 for Pakistan.
Pakistan lost their way in the second half, conceding five goals and scoring only one, Sohail’s penalty corner conversion low inside the left post (42nd minute).
Graduates of India’s Junior World Cup team in Hobart, Australia in October 2001, Deepak Thakur and Gagan Ajit Singh scored twice and Prabhjot Singh scored once in India’s second half spree.
Pakistan’s midfield was slow to get back to help the defense, and their failure to change tactics gifted their opponents five goals.
India coach Rajinder Singh heaped praise on his young team. “The team played very well for the first time here and the boys did a wonderful job to come back to win this match,” said Singh.
But captain Dhanraj refused to get carried away. “It’s still too soon to predict the result if we play against Pakistan again for the bronze medal,” he added.
