MOSCOW: Pakistan extended severe second half punishment to the beginners of hockey Ukraine recording a 5-0 win and setting a showdown with Scotland in the final of the four-nation tournament here on Saturday.
Pakistan, who drew with world number 25 Scotland on Friday, will play the final on Sunday (today).
The Pakistan team goal scorers were Muhammad Imran who struck twice with Imran Waris, Shakeel Abbasi and Rehan Butt sharing one goal each in a match in which the former world and Olympic champions struck contrasting performances, downward in the first half and upward in the following session.
Starting the match was again a sage of missing of chances, erratic shooting, lack of coordination on part of new look Pakistani team which showed no sign of responsibility.
Despite the fact that Scotland managed a draw against them and now it is the time to put together a good performance to atone for the previous dismal show, it did not happen in the first half.
At half time it was 1-0 in favour of the green shirts, once all time kings of the game and now a pale shadow of their glittering past.
Imran Warsi converted the second short corner, out of five of the first session, in the 18th minute placing the ball in the roof nets to give them the lead and then onward there was sheer disappointment when mattered conversion of following short corners.
On a cold day, Pakistani forwards Shakeel Abbasi, Akhtar Ali and skipper Rehan failed to control their nerves and fumbled ideal sitters, with open goal awaiting for the ball just rival goalkeeper, Gordey Jaroslav in sight who proved a main hurdle in making.
However, after a pathetic first half, the Pakistani team perhaps, given a lesson of words by the team management, were right in line with the job with just twenty people in the whole stadium cheering them.
World number five Pakistan team made it 3-1, netting goals in three minutes, first Rehan set up Shakeel for a lovely goal in the 42nd minute followed by Muhammad Imran’s solo efforts from the 25 yards for a lovely goal.
Lowly rated Ukraine at 49th worldwide standing failed to counter the speed of Pakistani forwards who after coming out of the first half depression put up a combined show of efforts.
Ukraine continued to suffer misery as Pakistani team slammed two more goals in as many minutes to go 5-0 up and at this stage goalkeeper Nasir Ahmad got a chance to play in the tournament as the team management called back regular keeper Salman Akbar who played both the previous two matches.
A left side move fed awaiting Imran with a timely pass and the forward moved quickly into the circle for a field goal in the 51st minute and then Rehan scored off the sixth short corner of play in an indirect conversion drill and there was no way out for Ukraine to re-group.
