Toothless Pakistan fall again to India

KARACHI: India inflicted another humiliating defeat on Pakistan in the Hockey World League Semi-Final round match for play-off position at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park here on Saturday.

The green-shirts were hammered 6-1 at the hands of their arch-rivals in the 5-8 position play-off match. They had also faced a crushing 7-1 defeat against India in the pool match last Sunday.

Pakistan will now play against China for 7-8 position on Sunday (today).

India dominated the game earlier as Ramandeep gave them the lead in the first quarter through a reverse flick past the Pakistan goalkeeper. The green-shirts were outclassed again in the second quarter as the Indians scored three goals in a span of just seven minutes. Talwinder Singh took a long range shot to double the lead for India, while Akashdeep Singh found the back of the net a minute later as he lobbed one over the goalkeeper’s head. The ball hit the crossbar before crossing the line.

The fourth goal came through the effort of Sunil and Ramandeep as the latter stretched and dived to put the ball in.

At half-time, Pakisan were 0-4 down.

The green-shirts wasted an opportunity in the 50th minute when the ball was received on the left of striking circle but the attempted shot was wayward.

Harmanpreet Singh converted a penalty corner to make it 5-0 before Ajaz Ahmad scored a field goal to pull one back for Pakistan.

Ajaz cashed in on an error by Chinglensana Singh in front of the net and kept his cool to score a rare goal for Pakistan.

In the 54th minute, Talwinder broke through the middle and passed the ball to Ramandeep but his shot was brilliantly blocked by Rizwan Jr.

Pakistan were left clueless and conceded goals regularly due to their poor defending.

India piled-up further misery on Pakistan as Mandeep Singh scored a goal two minutes before the hooter to make it 6-1.