Sloppy Pakistan suffer defeat against Australia

KARACHI: Lapses in the death moments continued to damage Pakistan’s cause as the Green-shirts went 0-3 down to Australia in their 5th to 8th place semi-final of the 21st Asian Men’s Senior Volleyball Championship in Japan on Saturday.

Pakistan will now face South Korea in the 7th place game on Sunday (today).

After beating former four-time champions South Korea in straight sets on Friday it was expected that Pakistan would beat Australia in the Saturday’s game to at least finish at a better place of fifth or sixth but the loss against the Australians left Pakistan again at a miserable position.

And finishing seventh or eighth will now be a routine matter for the Green-shirts who have been unable for years to repeat their best 1989 event performance when they had finished at the fourth place in the continental event.

After losing the first set 16-25, Pakistan fought well in the second set before going narrowly down 24-26. And the same was the case in the third set where Pakistan failed to tackle the pressure in the death moments and lost the set 23-25 to lose the game.

Meanwhile in the other 5th to 8th place semi-final Qatar defeated South Korea 3-0 with the set score being 25-16, 32-30, 25-22. Qatar will now meet Australia in the fifth place clash.

Similarly in the big matches on Saturday holders Iran and former nine-time champions Japan qualified for the final after beating their respective rivals China and Chinese Taipei in the semi-finals.

Japan, in the first semi-final, defeated Chinese Taipei 3-1 with the set score of 25-16, 22-25, 25-21, 25-20 while Iran in the second semi-final breezed past three-time former champions China 3-1 with the set score being 25-22, 17-25, 25-22, 25-17.

The final will be held on Sunday (today) between Iran and Japan, the two mighty sides of Asia. In the third place outing Chinese Taipei will lock horns with China also on Sunday.

In the 13th to 16th place semi-finals Uzbekistan beat Thailand 3-2 while Hong Kong prevailed over Kuwait 3-2. In the 15th spot game on Sunday Kuwait will take on Thailand while in the 13th spot show Hong Kong will meet Uzbekistan.

In the 9th to 12th place semi-finals Bahrain beat Kazakhstan 3-1 and India overwhelmed Saudi Arabia 3-0. In the 9th place match on Sunday Bahrain will meet India while in the 11th place game Kazakhstan will meet Saudi Arabia.