The Hindu : Pakistan subdues India

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Jan 10, 2004

Sport

Sport - Hockey

Pakistan subdues India

By S. Thyagarajan


Pakistan 3  India     2
Spain    3  Australia 1
Germany  4  Malaysia  2

KUALA LUMPUR, JAN. 9. Contests cruised into a vibrant mode as the intensity increased in the Azlan Shah hockey tournament on Friday. And India signalled that with two spectacular goals. The team led briefly, shared honours at half-time (2-2), before capitulating to the proficiency of penalty corner execution by Sohail Abbas who completed a hat-trick.

At least in the first half, the Indians did raise visions of a victory given the manner in which they controlled the mid-field and rendering the Pakistani frontline innocuous. That Pakistan got its goals from penalty corners was proof of the attack being denied enough space to weave in and out.

The strategy of bottling up the dangerous winger, Rehan Bhatt, by the energetic Ignace Tirkey on the flank worked to a nicety. Seldom did the Pakistani attack come in tandem to cause much discomfort. But the experience of the star line-up displayed the potential to force the defence into errors, which surfaced more from over enthusiasm than incompetence.

Vinay and Xalco were conspicuous in their tackles and interceptions inspired by the consistency projected by Ignace and Vikram Pillay. Only the pivot, Prabhdeep Singh, fumbled repeatedly.

A few brilliant sallies by Pillay and Dhillon notwithstanding, the frontline lacked the symmetry to pressure the Pakistani defence. True, there were impressive workouts involving Vinay, Ignace, Dhillon and Dhanraj, but not all of them could be carried to the logical end — either a penalty corner or a goal.

Unless Sandeep Michael and Arjun Halappa contribute more to the frontline, its efficacy will remain a question.

After Sohail slotted the lead, India produced a peach of a goal. Dhanraj trapped a mis-pass from Saqlain, surged ahead delectably with only the goal-keeper Salman in front of him. A weak flick by

Sandeep Micheal bounced off Salman's pads and Baljit Dhillon smashed the rebound home.

Even before one could recover from that ecstatic moment came Rajpal Singh's stunner. The lithe attacker, playing his first match, latched on to a measured long drive by Ignace Tirkey and whacked the ball into the boards leaving goal-keeper no chance.

Close on half-time, Sohail Abbas brought the equaliser and at 2-2, any prediction of the outcome appeared hazardous.

The Pakistanis tightened up in the second and showed the virtues of ball possession. Errors and blind passes were minimised even as the Indian defence showed signs of struggle to keep the frontline in check.

A yellow card for Prabhdeep Singh, for a wild tackle on Adnan Maqsood, disturbed the tranquillity of the defence that slowly became fragile.

Midway through Sohail hit in the third for the hat-trick and match winner. Thereafter, the Pakistanis were content to control the exchanges. The yellow for Dilawar for a rough tackle on Dhillon did not in any way alter the trend.

Adept, athletic and absolutely assured in their approach, Spain subdued the effervescence of the Aussies systematically to gain full points.

No one symbolised the spirit and skill of the Spaniards than the rangy Santi Freixa. The two goals he smashed underlined the essence of power, precision and perfection.

The verdict actually does not project the quality of Aussies showing in the right perspective. There were excellent sallies involving Mike McCann and Grant Schubert but the Spanish goal-keeper Javier Manresa was too good to be beaten.

Victor Sojo hoisted the lead for Spain midway through but before half-time Trevor Brooks converted a penalty corner. Shortly after the break, Freixa made good a pass from Pol Amat and late in the match produced a backhander that gave Mark Hickmann no chance.

Inspired by an excellent performance by goal-keeper Kumar Subramaniam, Malaysia almost caused an upset against Germany. After Bjorn Michel put the Germans ahead, Malaysia restored parity through Ismail Abu.

A penalty stroke awarded by Indian umpire Vir Bahadur Singh brought a volley of protest from the Germans and Mohammad Rahim converted amidst vociferous cheers.

Fighting out with all their vigour, the Germans not only came abreast with a goal from Bjorn Emmerling but achieved the match-winner through Bjron Knapp, and added one more from Tobias Hentschel.

Saturday's match: Australia v Korea (3-35 p.m. IST).

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