Sultan of Johor Cup: India thrash Pakistan 5-1 in opener

Skipper Hussain scores lone goal for losing side

KARACHI: While it is too early to judge the progress made under the new management of the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF), their case was definitely not helped by Pakistan junior team’s 5-1 loss to India at the opening match of the Sultan of Johor Cup in Malaysia on Sunday.

In a tournament where the junior coach was content with the team’s selection which was based on merit, Pakistan looked a shadow of an extremely solid and well-drilled Indian side.

Having conceded the first goal in the sixth minute from Ajay Yadav, Pakistan missed a chance to convert two penalty corners in the second quarter.



India, meanwhile, added three more goals in the 23rd, 28th and 30th minutes to pile further misery on Pakistan as the scoreline read 4-0 at the end of the second quarter.

The third quarter saw a little more intensity from Pakistan as skipper Dilbar Hussain managed to reduce the deficit by scoring in the 45th minute.

Whatever impact Hussain’s goal had on the morale of the team was extinguished instantly as Pakistan failed to convert from yet another penalty corner in the 57th minute, while Santa Singh completed the rout by scoring in the final minute of the game to end the match 5-1.

“We tried our best but couldn’t win,” a dejected Hussain told The Express Tribune. “We have some experienced players but at the same time there are many new players who are touring for the first time which affected our game play.”

Published in The Express Tribune, October 12^th, 2015.

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