Azlan Shah Cup: Pakistan lose chance for final despite draw
Hockey team to play for third place after holding hosts Malaysia to a 2-2 draw.
After losing the chance to stay in contention for the final match of the Azlan Shah Cup, Pakistan will now face South Korea tomorrow in the hopes of taking home a bronze medal. PHOTO: FILE AFP
KARACHI:
After two back-to-back defeats, Pakistan’s hockey team paid the price when they made an exit from the Azlan Shah Cup despite a gallant 2-2 draw against hosts Malaysia in Ipoh.
The greenshirts paid for their consecutive defeats against Australia and India as a nail biting must-win game ended in a draw against Malaysia and could not salvage them a place in the final. With just a match against South Korea remaining, Pakistan with four points have no chance to surpass Australia and Malaysia who are favourites to play the final with eight points each.
A dominant performance from hosts
Malaysia, who needed a win to seal their place in the final, dominated the match right from the beginning.
Backed by a packed home crowd, the hosts launched the game with an attacking play and just took five minutes to win a lead on a penalty corner through Faisal Saari.
They continued to test Pakistan’s defence and took their second penalty-corner in the ninth minute, but failed to capitalise this time. However, the greenshirts rebutted with a strings of penalty-corners by making successive counter attacks. It was captain Mohammad Imran who found the equaliser by scoring on the 15th minute penalty-corner.
Malaysia accelerated to regain lead and made several attacks but Pakistan’s defence managed to hold a 1-1 score-line at the breather. The hosts maintained their aggressive style of play and won the sixth of their tenth penalty-corner, five minutes into the second session.
Goal-keeper Imran Butt, who had been witnessing a slump in his form in earlier matches, excelled to block the attempt yet again. However, Pakistan failed to hold the hosts for long as they struck their eighth-penalty corner with Razie Rahim scoring in the 53rd minute to elevate Malaysia to a 2-1 lead.
However, experienced Shafqat Rasool saved face for Pakistan by netting in the 62nd minute to draw the game.
Despite loss, chief coach not disappointed
Despite the disappointing exit, Pakistan’s chief coach Akhtar Rasool gave a thumbs up to his team’s show against Malaysia.
“I am content with their performance,” Rasool told The Express Tribune from Ipoh.
“It’s never easy to fight back after losing big games. The way this young team played after losses against Australia and India is commendable.”
Rasool, a former Olympian, added that he was not disappointed that Pakistan’s run at the Azlan Shah Cup had ended.
“There is nothing to be disappointed about. These young players have started showing improvement and in fact we are happy.”
However, Pakistan’s failure to reach the final drew flak from former Olympians.
“The campaign turned out to be a failure,” said former Olympian Shahnaz Sheikh.
“Pakistan entered the tournament as the second-best ranked team after Australia. In spite of showing improvement they fell to lower-ranked teams, which is a setback.”
Chief coach Akhtar Rasool
It’s never easy to fight back after losing big games. The way this young team played after losses against Australia and India is commendable
Ex-Olympian Shahnaz Sheikh
Pakistan entered the tournament as the second-best ranked team after Australia. In spite of showing improvement they fell to lower-ranked teams, which is a setback
Published in The Express Tribune, March 15th, 2013.
After two back-to-back defeats, Pakistan’s hockey team paid the price when they made an exit from the Azlan Shah Cup despite a gallant 2-2 draw against hosts Malaysia in Ipoh.
The greenshirts paid for their consecutive defeats against Australia and India as a nail biting must-win game ended in a draw against Malaysia and could not salvage them a place in the final. With just a match against South Korea remaining, Pakistan with four points have no chance to surpass Australia and Malaysia who are favourites to play the final with eight points each.
A dominant performance from hosts
Malaysia, who needed a win to seal their place in the final, dominated the match right from the beginning.
Backed by a packed home crowd, the hosts launched the game with an attacking play and just took five minutes to win a lead on a penalty corner through Faisal Saari.
They continued to test Pakistan’s defence and took their second penalty-corner in the ninth minute, but failed to capitalise this time. However, the greenshirts rebutted with a strings of penalty-corners by making successive counter attacks. It was captain Mohammad Imran who found the equaliser by scoring on the 15th minute penalty-corner.
Malaysia accelerated to regain lead and made several attacks but Pakistan’s defence managed to hold a 1-1 score-line at the breather. The hosts maintained their aggressive style of play and won the sixth of their tenth penalty-corner, five minutes into the second session.
Goal-keeper Imran Butt, who had been witnessing a slump in his form in earlier matches, excelled to block the attempt yet again. However, Pakistan failed to hold the hosts for long as they struck their eighth-penalty corner with Razie Rahim scoring in the 53rd minute to elevate Malaysia to a 2-1 lead.
However, experienced Shafqat Rasool saved face for Pakistan by netting in the 62nd minute to draw the game.
Despite loss, chief coach not disappointed
Despite the disappointing exit, Pakistan’s chief coach Akhtar Rasool gave a thumbs up to his team’s show against Malaysia.
“I am content with their performance,” Rasool told The Express Tribune from Ipoh.
“It’s never easy to fight back after losing big games. The way this young team played after losses against Australia and India is commendable.”
Rasool, a former Olympian, added that he was not disappointed that Pakistan’s run at the Azlan Shah Cup had ended.
“There is nothing to be disappointed about. These young players have started showing improvement and in fact we are happy.”
However, Pakistan’s failure to reach the final drew flak from former Olympians.
“The campaign turned out to be a failure,” said former Olympian Shahnaz Sheikh.
“Pakistan entered the tournament as the second-best ranked team after Australia. In spite of showing improvement they fell to lower-ranked teams, which is a setback.”
Chief coach Akhtar Rasool
It’s never easy to fight back after losing big games. The way this young team played after losses against Australia and India is commendable
Ex-Olympian Shahnaz Sheikh
Pakistan entered the tournament as the second-best ranked team after Australia. In spite of showing improvement they fell to lower-ranked teams, which is a setback
Published in The Express Tribune, March 15th, 2013.