The Hindu : Sport / Hockey : Pakistan to meet Australia

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Sunday, May 15, 2011
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Pakistan to meet Australia

S. Thyagarajan

Ipoh: Australia will lock horns with Pakistan in the final of the Azlan Shah hockey tournament here on Sunday.

While the Aussies ensured their final spot with a match to spare on Thursday, Pakistan defeated Malaysia 3-2 to confirm its berth. Australia beat New Zealand 4-2 in the last match to finish with 16 points.

A win was mandatory for Pakistan to have a shot at the glittering trophy. The team accomplished it warding off a formidable challenge from the host.

Sohail Abbas gave Pakistan the lead, followed by Waqas Muhammad. Malaysia's Hanafi reduced the margin but after the break Shakeel Abbasi produced a gem of backhander to increase the lead that was reduced again late in the match by Razie following a penalty corner.

Korea avoided the humiliation of finishing at the bottom of the table with an inspired performance that saw Britain plunge to a 1-3 defeat.

India had an outside chance of contesting for a podium finish on goal-difference with New Zealand if the latter had conceded a difference of more than four goals. But at 2-4 against Australia, New Zealand finished with one minus in goal difference against India's two.

New Zealand will play Great Britain for the bronze medal. Korea will take on India in the match for the fifth and sixth place.

Asian Champions Trophy

The first hockey Asian Champions Trophy for men will be held at Ordos (China) from September 3 to 11.

This was confirmed at the council meeting of the Asian Hockey Federation on Saturday. The top six of the last Asian Games are listed as the contenders. They are Pakistan, Malaysia, India, Korea, China and Japan. Four women's teams, which finished in that order at Guangzhou — China, Korea, Japan and India — will take part in Ordos.

The results: Korea 3 (Yoon Sung Hoon, Jeong Byung Jin, You Hyo Sik) bt Great Britain 1 (Matt Daly); Pakistan 3 (Sohail Abbas, Waqas Muhammad, Shakeel Abbasi) bt Malaysia 2 (Hafifihafiz Hanafi, Rahim Muhammad Razie); Australia 4 (Brent Dancer, Glenn Turner 2, Christopher Cirello) bt New Zealand 2 (Stevan Edwards, Marcus Child).

Points table: Australia: Played 6, Won 5, Drawn 1, Lost nil, Goals for 18, Goals against 8, Points 16; Pakistan 6-4-0-2-17-15-12; Great Britain 6-3-0-3-12-12-9; New Zealand 6-2-1-3-16-17-7; India 6-2-1-3-15-17-7; Korea 6-2-1-3-12-15-7; Malaysia 6-1-0-5-11-17-3.

Sunday's matches: (5-6): India vs Korea (1 p.m.); (3-4): Britain vs New Zealand (3.30 p.m.); Final: Australia vs Pakistan (6.05 p.m.) .

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