advertisement
“Happy with our performance today. We were disappointed with the loss to Malaysia but we had a meeting and said we cannot change what happened and we needed to simply do well today,” says skipper Manpreet Singh after the win.
Almost the same storyline as the league stage match, and this time as well India finish on top. 6-1 to the team in Blue as they book a slot against Canada on Sunday in the 5th-6th classification match.
9 seconds on the clock and India have a penalty corner. Harmanpreet Singh gives it a go but this one is stopped.
The hooter goes off.
India win 6-1.
Just over a minute left in the game and India have ticked the board once again.
Mandeep sees his first shot saved by the keeper but the rebound doesn't miss. Ball meets back of the goal. India now lead 6-1.
Final quarter underway and India lead Pakistan 5-1. Is there a turnaround on the cards?
Nine minutes into the quarter and a defensive error by Chinglingsana right in front of the box allows Pakistan to get on the board.
Ajaz Ahmad is standing behind the forward and he fumbles the ball. Ahmad turns it right around and shoots it past the keeper.
Pakistan’s first goal of the match.
A penalty corner this one. Sardar starts the play. Harmanpreet at the top of the circle. Steps in and slides it straight past the defenders and the keeper, once again.
5-0 to India.
“If you are 4-0 up in a game, you should be happy. We had some great attacks. The attitude of the boys is really good. They want to show that they are playing on a level they want to play. So far, we are happy, yes. The intention now is to keep scoring more goals,” says coach Roelant Oltmans of the sidelines of the match.
2 minutes before halftime and India are looking set for another massive win.
Sunil the creator of the goal once again. Works around his marker and then dribbles it past another before taking a shot. Ramandeep strategically posted on the keeper’s left to nudge it in.
Ramandeep with his second goal of the match.
4 minutes left in the second quarter and India have a third goal.
Sunil with a clean pass to Akashdeep Singh right on the lines who dribbles with finesse and strikes the ball right to keeper Amjad Ali. He gets his hands on the ball but simply delivers it into the goal.
Akashdeep’s sixth goal of the tournament.
Pakistan’s defenders are beaten with ease, this one from outside the box. Pardeep Mor sweeps one in and a slight deflection from Talwinder’s stick and the keeper, once again, is left out in the cold.
India look much stronger her. Much much stronger.
The first quarter is all wrapped up and India are the only team to have gotten on the board so far. A few chances too going India’s way but the scoreboard has remained unchanged after the opener.
Ramandeep gets india on the board in the 8th minute. A crowded Pakistan box but he manages to get one past the keeper from close quarters.
Ramandeep’s fifth goal of the tournament.
Six days after the two teams faced-off in the group stage of the Hockey World League Semi-Finals, India and Pakistan once are playing each other, this time in the 5th to 8th classification match.
India, ranked sixth in the world, crashed out of the podium race after suffering a 2-3 loss to 14th placed Malaysia in a quarterfinal on Friday. Pakistan, failed to get past the group stage.
The last meeting between the two ended in a 7-1 victory for India.
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)