KARACHI, 28 April 2004 — India’s experienced goalkeeper Adrian D’Souza saved two strokes to guide his side to a 4-3 penalty shootout victory over defending champions Korea and set up a potentially-thrilling clash against Pakistan in the final of the 5th Junior Asia Cup here yesterday.
Hosts Pakistan succeeded where they failed four years back, outclassing Malaysia 5-2 to reach the final and more importantly qualify for the next summer’s Junior World Cup in Amstelveen, the Netherlands. But India took the harder way to achieving that target, living dangerously before edging Korea 4-3 in a pulse-quickening penalty shootout.
D’Souza was India’s hero making two superb saves after his team had conceded a 2-3 lead to Korea in the shootout. The Korean defense was rigid in giving away short corners meaning that India’s main weapon Sandeep Singh was contained in the match. India got just two short corners in the match and Sandeep was blocked well by goalie Kim Jae-young on both occasions.
While the Indian attack was unimpressive, their midfield and defense played an outstanding game. The Koreans were very dangerous when it came to counterattacks but in spite of creating inroads into their opponents’ territory time and again, the Koreans were never allowed a single goals-scoring shot by a tight Indian defense. After a full-time score of 0-0, the teams were engaged in a thrilling yet barren period of extra-time and the match went into a penalty shootout. India were in a tight spot when Singh’s push was stopped by Korean goalie. Korea’s Kim then converted his shot to take his side 3-2 ahead. When it seemed the Indians were almost out, D’Souza came out with his heroics saving two shots from Yong Shin and Jong Hyun-jang to give his side a memorable 4-3 win.
Pakistan’s hero was their short corner specialist Imran Warsi’s whose double strike helped them cruise to a comfortable win against the dangerous Malaysians making them sure to be one of three teams from Asia making the cut for the Amstelveen extravaganza.
Pakistan coach Asif Bajwa said that the pressure was off the players and team officials after crossing a “major barrier” by qualifying for the Junior World Cup.
Tempers flared high in the match that saw four yellow cards, three of them shown to the desperate Malaysians including their captain Azlan Misron. Malaysia went ahead 1-0 in the fifth minute when Ismail Abu scored on a pass from skipper Misron Azlan from the left.
Pakistan converted their second short corner when Warsi scored with a high flick in the 22nd minute. The first half ended at 1-1. Pakistan produced two goals early in the second session with striker Mahmood early making a clever deflection and Warsi scoring his second drag flick goal to make it 3-1 in the 43rd minute. Malaysia responded with their second goal six minutes later through Rejab Ali. Pakistan consolidated their lead when Yasir Islam scored off an assist from the in-form Tariq Aziz in the 61st minute and then confirmed a big win when Kashif Yaqoob got their fifth goal just two minutes before the hooter.
