by Armstrong Vas
DOHA: Pakistan defeated defending champions India 5-4 in a high-scoring final to win the Asian Champions Trophy hockey tournament at Al Rayyan Stadium yesterday.
Sans experienced players, a young Indian outfit put up a brave fight before surrendering before their much-experienced opponents, whom they had defeated 2-1 in the round robin stages of the tournament.
The controversy-ridden final which saw the teams playing fast attacking hockey was marred by a late decision which took some glitter away from the nine-goal thriller. Korean umpire Yun Shin Dong decision to first award a penalty stroke to India and then reverse the decision after consulting the third umpire raised a few eyebrows.
The decision which came with three minutes left for the final hooter did not go well with the Indian team which walked away, but returned after spending two minutes on the bench to play the remaining minutes of the match.
Pakistan stood their ground to repulse the Indian attacks in the last two minutes, after the interruption to win the title much to the delight of the large number of Pakistan fans.
Pakistan captain Muhammad Imran was delighted with win.
“The final was a best advertisement for Asian hockey. There were lot of goals and a packed stadium, what more we could have asked for. We lived up to the billing as the higher ranked team in the competition by winning the Asian tournament,” said Imran.
His counterpart Sardar Singh said the decision to award the penalty stroke to his team and then change it at the last minute was one of the absurd decisions on the part of the umpire.
“You give a penalty stroke and you rely on a third umpire who is 50 metres away from the action is one of the funniest thing. The umpire who gave the decision was close to the action, some five yards, yet he choose to rely on the judgement of a person far away.”
Indian coach Michael Nobbs said the umpiring in the entire tournament has been ‘substandard’.
“Words fail me. If I wish to sum up the whole situation, I would say it was disgraceful umpiring which robbed the classic match its golden moments. The umpiring panel throughout the tournament was substandard,” said Nobbs.
“I give full credit for Pakistan for the victory and for my boys for handling the pressure,” added Nobbs. It was a neck-and-neck battle between the two sub-continent hockey giants as both the teams scored goals at will before Pakistan used their experience to good effect to emerge as the winners.
A brace from Muhammad Waqas (8th and 56th minute) and goals from Shafqat Rasool (42) Rashid Mehmood (48) and Muhammad Ateeq (64) helped Pakistan to avenge their loss to India in the first edition of the championship held in China.
India’s goals came from SV Sunil (9), VR Raghunath (20), Gurwinder Chandi (55) and Rupinder Pal Singh (59).
The match started on a fast paced note with both the teams going for attack from the onset.
However, it was Pakistan who took the lead when Waqas deflected home from their first penalty corner in the eight minute. But the lead was short lived as Sunil equalised through a field effort, one minute later.
Raghunath rose to the occasion and beautifully converted a penalty corner in the 21st minute to see India go into the breather with a 2-1 lead.
But Pakistan came out all guns blazing in the second period and restored parity in the 42nd minute when Rasool scored from a field effort. Pegged by the goal, Pakistan went all out attacking and their efforts bore fruit when Rashid scored to make it 3-2 in favour of Pakistan.
Chandi brought India back into the match in the 55th minute to restore parity. But two minutes later Waqas restored Pakistan’s lead with his second goal of the match before Rupinder equalised for India. However, the joy was short-lived for the Indians as Ateeq converted a short corner to score the winner for Pakistan. Thereafter, the Indians pressed hard for the equaliser but it was not be as Pakistan defended stubbornly to deny Indian any inroads.
The Peninsula
