Pakistan’s medal hopes jolted

Jackson scores a double as poor defending, ineffective attacking cost Greenshirts.

KARACHI:

Riding high after a draw against Spain and a 2-0 win over Argentina, Pakistan were brought back down to earth by a spirited Great Britain yesterday – a 4-1 thrashing that helped the hosts move a step closer to a semi-final berth.

James Tindall opened the scoring for the hosts in the fourth minute with the lead doubled in the 26th minute by Jonathan Clarke. Pakistan’s defensive frailties, that Argentina failed to exploit with effect in the earlier match, cost the Greenshirts heavily with Ashley Jackson, the penalty-corner specialist, slotting in his first in the 50th minute to make the score 3-0.

Jackson then added his second, and his team’s fourth, in the 67th minute before Pakistan captain Sohail Abbas earned his side a late consolation, converting the team’s fifth penalty corner.

Pakistan, with four points from three matches, will take on South Africa in their next group match on Sunday.

World champs Australia in surprise draw

Meanwhile, world champions Australia surrendered a two-goal lead as Argentina battled back for a 2-2 draw yesterday as the Netherlands coasted to a third straight win of the tournament with a 5-1 victory over New Zealand.

Argentina captain Matias Vila’s field goal on a counter attack in the 37th minute and Gonzalo Peillat’s penalty corner conversion in the 68th minuted brought the South Americans level with Australia, for whom Edward Ockenden opened the scoring by seizing on a penalty corner rebound in the 11th minute.

Jamie Dwyer added the second goal right on half-time, making him Australia’s highest scorer with 180 goals. Australia had several chances to add to their lead but could not find another way past goalkeeper Juan Vivaldi.

Meanwhile, New Zealand took an early lead with a field goal from Simon Child in the fifth minute, but the Dutch bounced back firing to be 3-1 up t half-time after two penalty stroke conversions by Roderick Weusthof nd Mink van der Weerden were followed by Billy Bakker’s open play strike.

Bakker scored another field goal in the 56th minute before Robbert Kemperman rounded off the scoring three minutes from the end.

In another match, Germany thrashed India 5-2. The Indians now lie bottom of Group B having lost all three matches. (with additional input from AFP)

Published in The Express Tribune, August 4^th, 2012.