The Hindu : Japan, Pakistan ensure semifinal spots

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Sep 23, 2003

Sport

Sport - Hockey

Japan, Pakistan ensure semifinal spots

By S. Thyagarajan

Japan 3 Malaysia 2

Pakistan 7 China 1

Kuala Lumpur Sept. 22. Even as the equations change, however ephemeral they may be in the context of sport, Japan added a new dimension to the continental power balance, emerging the first outfit to ensure a berth in the semifinal of the Asia Cup hockey competition at Bukit Jalil on Monday.

A thumping win against Hong Kong on Sunday, and a pulsating 3-2 verdict against the host today, gave Japan a fairly large tally of six points with a match remaining against Korea.

Pakistan also made it to the last four from Pool B with a comfortable victory over China.

The outcome has clearly put Malaysia in a spot, almost making its chances of coming into the reckoning bleak. A solitary point against Korea, which added a note of buoyancy for the Malaysians on the opening day, ended in a disaster, so to say, at the hands of Japan.

Incisive, imaginative and impressively inspired, Japan demonstrated not only the fighting qualities, that are part of its national ethos, but fashioned a display that was notable for technical excellence.

The highlight of it was perfection in the fundamentals, trapping, for instance, and neat interceptions. Accurate long passes bewildered the unsteady, and poignantly uncharacteristic Malaysian defence into a pool of errors.

The seventh minute stunner by Tobita shattered the confidence of the Malaysians.

It was opportunism at its best when Takahashi wrested the ball from a weak clearance and put Iwadate ahead. Tobita picked up the pass and beat goal-keeper Nasihin with a neat shot.

Secure in the defence, thanks to the splendid work of Takaya Fukuoka, supported brilliantly by goal-keeper, Nobui, Japan's midfield and frontline forked up quite a few sallies.

Tobita, Asai and Iwadate gave little respite to the palpably haphazard defence to come up with anything to resist.

Midway through, Japan enlarged the margin. Katayama, the hard working skipper, wove in delectably but was intercepted by goal-keeper Nasihin. Katayama wrested the ball and flicked ahead but Kuhen, the Malaysian skipper, came in the way, forcing the Chinese umpire, Sun Chengmin to show the spot, Tobita did the rest.

Try as the Malaysians did, they were unable force the pace. The midfield work was unimaginative, leading the frontline nowhere, despite the hard labour put in by Kevin Raj and the diminutive Nor Azlan. True, Malaysia had two penalty corners, but both, executed by Kuhen Shanmuganathan, were smartly saved by goal-keeper Nobui.

Malaysia did not enjoy that bit of luck too when a flashy backhander by Rosli hit the post and bounced back.

Malaysia forcing as many seven penalty corners (two in the first) in the second half perhaps underscores the intensity of the sallies made by them.

But again it was Japan which courted a chance when Mohammad Nor obstructed Tsubouchi.

The Argentine umpire, Santi Daniel, awarded a stroke, but goal-keeper Nasihin brought off a perfect save from Tobita.

Almost within a minute skipper Katayama obtained the yellow for a hard tackle on Kevin Raj.

Pushed into the stress zone, the Japanese fumbled here and there and the spate of penalty corners only heightened the tension.

Kuhen pumped in the sixth award when more than a quarter of an hour remained from the hooter.

When eight minutes left for the hooter, Japan secured its first penalty corner, and an immaculate hit by Yamabori sounded the boards, widening the margin.

But two minutes before Malaysia bounced back, Rosli deflecting in a penalty corner push by Kuhen. Japan however managed to cling on to the odd goal lead and make it to the semifinal from Pool A.

Held in check by the hard working Chinese defence for more than a quarter of an hour, Pakistan surged ahead when a free hit by Saqlain paved the way for Khalid Salim to hit the target. Nadeem Ahmed and Kashif Jawaad added a goal each but in the dying minutes of the first half, Lu Peng, China's skipper, hit in a penalty corner. Pakistan led 3-1 at half-time.

In the second half, Sohail Abbas struck twice from penalty corners, followed by Kashif Jawaad. In the final minutes, Nadeem added one more goal.

The start of the match was delayed by half an hour since both the teams were caught in a traffic jam and could not reach the venue in time.

Tuesday's matches: Korea v Hong Kong (3-30 p.m.); India v Bangladesh (5-30 p.m.)

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