The Hindu : Sport : Abbas' record goal sinks India

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Dec 09, 2004

Sport

Sport

Abbas' record goal sinks India

LAHORE, DEC. 8. Sohail Abbas guided Pakistan to a 2-1 win over India in its crucial league match in the Champions Trophy hockey tournament here on Wednesday.

The ace drag-flicker, who needed one goal to go past Australian Mark Hagger's Champions Trophy record of 32 goals, slammed home from a penalty stroke in the 67th minute as Pakistan won the thrilling encounter at the National Stadium here.

The margin of defeat may appear thin but Pakistan was a much better side in the contest and could have won by a much bigger score had it converted even half of the chances that came its way.

Saqlain Muhammed's 32nd minute strike was neutralised by India through Sandeep Singh in the 58th minute, but Abbas put the finishing touch to the match at a time when it looked like the game was heading for a draw. It was the star player's fifth goal in the tournament.

In other matches, Dutch forward Karel Klaver scored the first hat-trick of the championship as defending champion Netherlands claimed a berth in the final with a 4-2 win over Spain.

Germany and New Zealand — the two bottom placed teams earned their first points by playing out a 1-1 draw to share one point each.

Goalkeeper Adrian D'Souza's fine performance under the bar was the saving grace for India though it was not enough as India crashed to its third defeat from four matches.

The loss also affected India's chances of playing for the 3-4 places as Pakistan took itself a step closer for a berth in the final.

Pakistan tested the Indian defence a number of times in the first half. The Indians made a few inroads but never got a chance to probe Salman Akbar as most of the moves fizzled out inside the circle or just outside it.

Rehan Butt, struggling to get back into his goal scoring form, was the first to have a go at the Indian post as early as in the sixth minute but his reverse flick went over bar.

D'Souza brilliant

Pakistan's moves — most of them led by winger Shabbir Ahmed from the left — failed to click mainly due to some good show by D'Souza, defender Dilip Tirkey and some poor finishing.

With the large crowd, probably the biggest in the competition so far, getting restless with Pakistan failing time and again to take the lead, Saqlain Muhammed slammed home. Exploiting a little space inside the Indian circle, Saqlain, who got a cross from the right, slammed home in the 32nd minute.

Pakistan earned a couple of penalty corners in the first half but Sohail Abbas's attempts were foiled by D'Souza as he charged out and made superb saves.

D'Souza who seemed to have found a way out to counter Abbas' deadly drag-flicks, was cautioned for charging out too early but that failed to dampen his spirit and he continued to show tremendous reflexes throughout the game.

India came up with some good moves but they lacked the sting to go past the Pakistani defence.

Pakistan went to the break with a 1-0. In the second half Pakistan had a perfect chance to swell the lead, but Shakeel Abbasi failed to put the ball in. Soon after Rehan, with only D'Souza to beat, hit the ball wide.

Sandeep Singh's equaliser from India's first penalty corner in the second half enlivened the proceedings.

Pakistan got a couple of penalty corners in the 59th minute, but its attempt from a variation did not work while Abbas hit the other one wide. The last few minutes saw a lot of drama as Pakistan won a penalty stroke that was converted by Abbas.

India won a penalty corner just four minutes before the hooter but Sandeep's drag flick could not beat the goalkeeper.

The Netherlands in final

Holland — with four victories from as many games — took an unassailable lead in the round robin standings with 12 points after its 4-2 victory over Spain.

Spain and Pakistan both share second position with nine points. However, Spain needs only a draw against Pakistan in its last game on Friday to qualify for Sunday's title match as it enjoys plus seven goals difference in comparison to host's plus two.

Klaver capitalized on Holland's first meaningful attempt at the goal when he left goalkeeper Francisco Cortes guessing with a hard drive from the top of the circle in the 15th minute. Geert Jan Derikx doubled the lead off an 18th minute penalty stroke, before Santiago Freixa reduced the margin for Spain with a field goal seconds from the halftime.

Klaver's reverse flick in the 45th minute gave Holland a 3-1 lead as the Spanish forwards hardly combined to challenge the Dutch defence

Quemada's head high drag flick off the 57th minute short corner gave Spain hope of levelling the match. But Klaver completed his hat-trick with another hard shot from the edge of the circle in the 69th minute.

New Zealand surprised Germany when Phillip Burrows converted a 26th minute short corner and the Kiwis kept its lead intact until halftime.

Jan-Marco Montag got the equalizer when his low shot beat goalkeeper Paul Woodford off the 45th minute penalty corner as both teams failed to find the match-winner.

The last matches of the preliminary round will be played Friday. Spain takes on Pakistan, India meets New Zealand and Germany plays the Netherlands.

Points table (read as team, matches played, won, drawn, lost, goals for, goals against, points): Netherlands: 4, 4, 0, 0, 18, 9, 12; Spain: 4, 3, 0, 1, 14, 7, 9; Pakistan: 4, 3, 0, 1, 9, 7, 9; India: 4, 1, 0, 3, 8, 12, 3; Germany: 4, 0, 1, 3, 5, 12, 1; New Zealand: 4, 0, 1, 3, 5, 12, 1. — Agencies

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