The Hindu : Sport : China puts it across Pakistan

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Dec 13, 2006
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China puts it across Pakistan

S. Thyagarajan

India steamrollers Chinese Taipei; Korea in final

— PHOTO: AFP

NEAT MOVE: Taiwan's Tang Chao Yi intercepts a ball from India's Adam Sinclair.

DOHA: In what can go into the annals of hockey history as a momentous contest, China scored a sensational 2-1 victory over Pakistan to book a place in the final for the first time in the men's competition.

The `golden goal' by Li Fenghui, after China bounced back from a penalty corner equaliser at the end of the regulation time, has not only opened up a new saga but also made it crystal clear that the country is now a continental power.

Later, defending champion, South Korea, beat Japan 2-0 to make it to the final. Jang Jong Hyun scored both the goals in the second session after a barren first half.

Earlier, there was little to suggest that a reverse lay in waiting for the former champion after Rehan Butt found the lead midway in the first half. The Pakistanis seemed intent on clinging to the lead. Their penalty corner conversion was appalling as they failed with the 10 earned. China converted both its corners.

Last-minute equaliser

For the major part, China was on the defensive, save for a move here and there by Yi Song and Na Yubo. But in the last quarter, the Chinese clearly gained the advantage and a penalty corner surfaced with less than 30 seconds before the hooter. Yu Yang deflected a Yi Song shot to send the team into a delirium of delight.

Earlier, crestfallen and clearly out of depth, India walloped Chinese Taipei 12-1. Malaysia will be India's opponent for the fifth place after outclassing Bangladesh 6-1.

Imposing as the margin was, there were periods in the first session when Chinese Taipei looked dangerous. Such fears were not misplaced when one quick sally from the left ended in a goal by Fan Kuo Hang. Goal-keeper Chetri had no clue at all about the angle or the trajectory.

Note-worthy

To dismiss the match as unworthy of notice will be ignoring certain key points. One was the five goals that Raghunath slotted from drag flicks. They were well taken. India had a dozen penalty corners. But failed with the first five, raising eyebrows as to why Dilip Tirkey was anxious to convert them than to allowing Raghunath get the strike.

Another was the work out of the mid-field where Harpal Singh, basically a full back, caught the eye with Vinay and Gurbaj Singh. Even granting the fact that the defence was rarely pressured, the functioning deserves commendation.

The frontline lacks co-ordination. Rajpal, Tejbir and Shivendra were impressive when it came to individual workouts. But harmony was missing. Quite a few centres by Rajpal and Halappa went without a proper response.

The results: Semifinals: China 2 (Yu Yang, Li Fenghui) bt Pakistan 1 (Rehan Butt).

South Korea 2 (Jang Jong Hyun 2) bt Japan 0.

Playoffs: Ninth & tenth places: Hong Kong 4 bt Oman 0.

Fifth to eighth places: Malaysia 6 bt Bangladesh 1; India 12 (Raghunath 5, Rajpal Singh 2, Shivendra Singh 2, Tejbir Singh, Tushar Khandekar, Adam Sinclair) bt Chinese Taipei 1 (Fan Kuo Heng).

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