Asian Champions Trophy: Pakistan set up semi-final clash with Malaysia

4-0 win over China enough to see side through

KARACHI: An Abdul Haseem Khan brace helped Pakistan claim third spot in the Asian Champions Trophy group stages with a 4-0 win over China in their last league match, setting up a semi-final date with hosts Malaysia for tomorrow.

Malaysia claimed a late equaliser against South Korea in the other match yesterday to finish second, while Korea will have to play group winners and favourites India in the semi-finals after finishing fourth.

India are the tournament’s only unbeaten side and won four of their five games, ending with 13 points from a possible 15 as well as a whopping +19 goal difference.



Malaysia, meanwhile, claimed 10 points with three wins and a goal difference of +10. Pakistan follow a point behind with nine while Korea ended with eight.

The Greenshirts could have missed out on qualification had China routed them by seven or more goals but that was almost impossible scenario. An even first-half ended 0-0 but Pakistan turned up the style in the second half, scoring four times to hammer home their class.

Pakistan head coach Khawaja Junaid said it didn’t matter to the side whether they played Malaysia or India in the semis and added that they will not simply lie down for the hosts in their clash.



“We lost our opening match to Malaysia 4-2 and were then defeated by India 3-2 but the boys were not as used to the conditions,” he told The Express Tribune. “The experience they have gained in these league matches and the work they have done to overcome their mistakes was seen in the match against China.”

Defensive errors had proven costly in both of Pakistan’s losses, with lapses in concentration settling the two close ties, and Junaid revealed the team has been working to overcome them.

“Our defence line has worked on their mistakes and won’t let Malaysia pass the ball around as easily as they did in the previous match,” he said. “We are eying a spot in the final and will be looking to defend our title if we reach there.”

Published in The Express Tribune, October 28^th, 2016.

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