Australia end Pakistan’s hopes of Super 9s title

Greenshirts fail to make it to final after 2-0 defeat in Perth.

KARACHI:

Pakistan’s hopes of making it to the final of the Super Series Hockey 9s, being held in Perth, were crushed by hosts Australia as they beat the national team 2-0 in a feisty encounter.

Both teams struggled to penetrate each other’s defences in the first period, with the contest almost boiling over just before half-time when Australia’s Rob Hammond and Shafqat Rasool tussled and Hammond appeared to receive a blow to the head from Shafqat’s stick.

As a result, players from both sides squared up but umpire Devendra Patel managed to cool the flaring tempers.

The second-half was all Australia, with the hosts scoring their opening goal through a penalty corner. Specialist Jamie Dwyer made a dummy and left the ball for Russell Ford, who sent it flying into the back of the net after only four minutes into the second period.

The hosts then doubled their lead two minutes later when Pakistan custodian Imran Butt made the mistake of trying to stop Glenn Turner’s progress along the back line and was beaten at his near post.

Butt attempted to make amends for his earlier mistake as he twice kept the Aussies at bay when Pakistan’s defensive line was beaten all hands up. However, the team failed to score.

Although it was Pakistan’s first defeat in the tournament, the previous day’s 5-5 draw against Argentina had cost them dearly. The greenshirts will now play for the third position against Malaysia today, who lost 3-0 to Argentina, enabling the South Americans to qualify for the tournament decider.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 20^th, 2013.

Like Sports on Facebook, follow @ETribuneSports on Twitter to stay informed and join in the conversation.