KARACHI, 24 April 2004 — Three time champions Pakistan achieved their initial target in the 5th Junior Asia Cup marching into the semifinals with a convincing 7-1 triumph over Japan here yesterday.
The Pakistanis were later joined in the last-four by Malaysia who came back from 1-2 down to prevail over China 5-2. Having suffered the ignominy of finishing a poor fifth in the previous edition of the Junior Asia Cup in Kuala Lumpur, Pakistan took no chances and just strolled to their third big win in a row to become the first team to reach the last four.
“Our first target was to reach the semifinals and now we will be looking to finish on top of the group by winning against Korea,” said Pakistan coach Asif Bajwa.
The Junior Asia Cup serves as the continental qualifying rounds for the 2005 Junior World Cup with the top three teams sure to make the cut for the international junior circuit’s biggest event in Amstelveen (Holland) next summer.
Striker Mahmood Ali was Pakistan’s topscorer with two goals while short corner specialist Imran Warsi just had one successful strike to take his tally to seven goals behind India’s top scorer Sandeep Singh.
Pakistan got an early lead when Shakeel Abbasi initiated a superb move with the help of in-form left-in Tariq Aziz whose assist helped left winger Akhtar Ali make it 1-0 for Pakistan.
The fast-improving Akhtar Ali was instrumental in Pakistan’s second goal as it was his pass that was deflected into the cage by Mahmood.
Right winger Adnan Zakir scored from the top of the circle in the 30th minute. Pakistan ended the first session with a four-goal lead after Warsi converted a short corner just a minute from the break.
Tariq Aziz made it 5-0 just minutes into the second session with off a short corner rebound. Japan counter attacked with their only goal of the match just a few second later through Takashi Ito to make it 1-5.
Pakistan, looking to increase their goal average, struck twice again through Yasir Islam and Mahmood Ali to complete a 7-1 win and stay on top of Pool A ahead of defending champions Korea.
In the other important match of the day, Mohammad Jivan scored two short corner goals to help Malaysia overcome a spirited China 5-2.
Jivan gave Malaysia a 1-0 lead in the 16th minute but China struck back through Ao Changrong and Guo Zhongqiang to go 2-1 up. Jivan got his second goal in the dying second of the first session to make it 2-2.
The Malaysians then scored through Abdul Jalil, Riduan Nasir and Azli Misron for their third successive in the competition.
Chinese Taipei bounced back from a morale-shattering 15-1 loss against Pakistan to beat Singapore 1-0. The Pool A match was edging toward a draw before Yai-Wen Shih converted a short corner nine minutes from the hooter to give his side its first win in the ten-nation competition.
