Imran, Abbas guide Pakistan past Argentina

E-Paper | March 08, 2026

Pakistan's Muhammad Imran (L) scores against Argentina. -Photo by AFP

KARACHI: Pakistan recorded their first win in the hockey tournament at the London Olympics on Wednesday as they beat Argentina 2-0.

Mohammad Imran and captain Sohail Abbas scored as Pakistan swept past Argentina at the Riverbank Arena in London. Argentina, on the other hand, maintained a good rhythm but could not convert their chances into goals.

Imran gave the Greenshirts the lead in the first half as he scored from a penalty corner in the 29th minute which ensured that Pakistan ended the first half on top. The second half saw Abbas miss a chance after he failed to convert a penalty corner but the expert drag-flicker made up for that within minutes as he doubled Pakistan's lead through another penalty corner in the 43rd minute.

Argentina saw two penalty corners taken by Pedro Ibarra and Manuel Brunet saved by Imran Shah as they failed to give a concrete response to Pakistan.

Pakistan held Spain to a 1-1 draw in their opening match at the Olympics and are now behind Australia who lead the standings and level with hosts Great Britain with four points but behind on goal difference.

The Greenshirts next play the hosts on Friday at 20:00 PST.

Statistics:

Pakistan		Argentina
2/6 (33%)	Total Goals/Shots	0/8
0/2	Field Goal Goals/Shots	0/4
2/4	Penalty Corner Goals/Shots	0/4
0/0	Penalty Stroke Goals/Shots	0/0

Sport

New Zealand want to ‘break a few hearts’ in T20 World Cup final

‘If there’s no pressure, there’s no fun’: India captain Suryakumar excited for T20 World Cup final

From end of the Earth to World Cup final: The audacity of the Kiwi

Pakistan Classified

Aug 02, 2012 10:46am

Thats the Point, We need to beat atleast one of them and we will qualify,Lets hope for the best and Pray .

Recommend 0

Pakistan Classified

Aug 02, 2012 10:47am

InshAllah we will bring it this time :)

Recommend 0

Sir G

Aug 02, 2012 10:57am

Keep eye on top. you are the real players.

Recommend 0

Syd4u

Aug 02, 2012 01:11pm

Pakisan played a pretty lazy game, if this way they would be playing with Australians.. they would be smashed.. instead of 2-0 it should be 4-0 or 6-1.

Recommend 0

kamal

Aug 02, 2012 01:44pm

Congratulations for what? The job is not done yet.. Just 2 succes, GB and Australia are still to go. Everyone hold your congratulation messages until we play next 2 games. Good Luck ...

Recommend 0

Brijesh

Aug 02, 2012 11:10am

Very nice work Pakistan. Love to see you guys play. Go win!

Recommend 0

guest

Aug 01, 2012 08:08pm

Job well done. Zinda Abaad Pakistan

Recommend 0

baqar

Aug 01, 2012 08:12pm

Is there light at the end of the tunnel?

Recommend 0

Waqas

Aug 01, 2012 08:18pm

congratulations pakistan keep it up..............

Recommend 0

bawanja52

Aug 01, 2012 08:21pm

great ... good job done we are on the road to victory ,,,,, we pray as a nation that this gold medal will come to Pakistan,Allah willing best of luck team Pakistan

Recommend 0

Hani

Aug 01, 2012 08:22pm

WOWO Congratulations Pakistani Green Team finally you did Well done and continue to win

Recommend 0

muhammad

Aug 01, 2012 08:22pm

Go green shirts

Recommend 0

Sax

Aug 01, 2012 08:22pm

We won we won we won !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!'n

Recommend 0

sfyn2it

Aug 01, 2012 08:29pm

yaaaay...pakistan zindabad.

Recommend 0

Ahmed

Aug 01, 2012 08:41pm

BRAVO - keep it up green shirts !!! We love you.

Recommend 0

Ali Hamid

Aug 01, 2012 08:46pm

Well done green shirts!! keep the momentum going. I hope and pray you remain undefeated till the end. Good Luck !!!!

Recommend 0

Jamshed Khan

Aug 01, 2012 08:48pm

I am holding my breath. I hope the trend continues...!

Recommend 0

Asif

Aug 01, 2012 08:55pm

Well congrats to our team. I hope they win any medal gold, silver or bronze. InshAllah.

Recommend 0

Asif Khan

Aug 01, 2012 09:03pm

Zindabad Pakistani Hockey team, hearty congratulations. You are our heros...keep on winning.

Recommend 0

Irshad

Aug 01, 2012 09:28pm

Shukar Al HamdoLillah !!!!

Recommend 0

khankhel

Aug 01, 2012 09:29pm

proud of the green shirts

Recommend 0

Imran

Aug 01, 2012 09:31pm

Highly over-rated and excessively pampered Cricketers tend to disappoint us in big events, but Hockey Boys are doing us all Proud. Well Done Boys, with your courage you have proven a lot of critics wrong. May Allah bless you for rest of the tournament.

Recommend 0

daudbaig

Aug 02, 2012 12:43pm

remarkable and overwhelming!! keep your spirit with full conviction and try to fight with tooth and nail to immune your self.hope u will nail it .

Recommend 0

nabeel

Aug 01, 2012 09:36pm

Congrats Pakistan team for a very much needed victory , keep your chins up and you will achieve success inshallah in your coming matches, just give your 100 percent, the whole nation is praying and proud of you

Recommend 0

Khurram

Aug 01, 2012 09:48pm

Although a slow game, but in the end result matters, now they have real matches in front of them, GB and Australia and they are able to beat GB , then yes we can expect this miracle to happen after long time inshallah.

Recommend 0

waqas

Aug 01, 2012 09:50pm

Congratulations Pakistan i was praying for the victory of Pakistan...:)

Recommend 0

MJK

Aug 01, 2012 10:03pm

Glad to see Pakistan winning the game but 2nd half belonged to Argentina, they were constantly attacking.

Recommend 0

hdrj

Aug 01, 2012 10:06pm

we gonna rock, we gonna win. Paki for lyf <3

Recommend 0

IbDi

Aug 01, 2012 10:25pm

Neat work. Now the next match is probably the crucial one, against England. We need to win that, inshallah will!

Recommend 0

Asim khan

Aug 01, 2012 10:45pm

pakistan's match against England is a virtual semi final, If pakistan wins it then the chances of reaching semi finals are pretty bright inshallah, however if conceded a loss then they need to try for the 5th and 6th position finish at the most. Pakistan is an easy pool as compare to other pool which holland/germany,newzeland,korea in it. In pakistan's pool, if they beat either australia or england they are almost in the semi finals making sure they do not loose point to minnows like south africa and argentina. I think they should treat their match against england as the most important one. Rest is in Allah's hand, Whatever Allah's will it.

Recommend 0

khan

Aug 01, 2012 10:54pm

Mashallah ,,Well done ,,Proud of you guys,,Show more courage as you have done it before..

Recommend 0

zarrar

Aug 01, 2012 11:08pm

Guys those were the two of the easiet teams in the group...........if we win against australia and britan then i will be happy, and will see that we have a chance of a medal...Only two team from each group will go forward......so in our group we have britan and australia, have to beat atleast one.....

Recommend 0

syed

Aug 01, 2012 11:30pm

Great! keep it up, we believe and trust your talent.

Recommend 0

ijaz

Aug 01, 2012 11:36pm

good job

Recommend 0

Abbas

Aug 02, 2012 12:04am

Believe Allah and yourself,keep working hard gold is yours.

Recommend 0

waleed awan

Aug 02, 2012 09:18am

keep it up green shirts

Recommend 0

Imtiaz

Aug 02, 2012 12:11am

Shabash, abb tum say hi ummed hai, great work, keep performing

Recommend 0

Asim

Aug 02, 2012 12:11am

Any medal in this extremely competitive field will be an excellent achievements for the handicapped Pakistani team. Sohail Abbas's last shot at glory. Defeating Britain will be critical and extremely difficult. Go Greenshirts! Make us proud!

Recommend 0

samad

Aug 02, 2012 12:34am

Well done green shirts....

Recommend 0

Salman

Aug 02, 2012 01:33am

Excellent, well done greenshirts! We are proud of you guys and have complete confidence in your abilities to get us across the winning line. Keep the momentum going and smash any one that comes in your way to the gold medal, be it RSA, whinging Poms (brits) or arrogant Aussies! All the very best!

Recommend 0

Malik -

Aug 02, 2012 01:33am

Ya Allah give strength to these pak hockey players to play good and win the gold in olympic hockey this time...........

Recommend 0

Yawar

Aug 02, 2012 01:49am

Kya baat hay jee. Ab phook mey mat aana. Inshallah Pakistan hockey will make us feel proud once again.

Recommend 0

Muhammad Nadeem

Aug 02, 2012 01:59am

Good news for Pakistan...Pakistan Zindabad

Recommend 0

Imran Khateeb

Aug 02, 2012 02:20am

Beat the Brit, and you are thru, great game.

Recommend 0

Dr. Joseph Matthews

Aug 02, 2012 02:35am

Well done guys !!! Keep it up the pace and spirit till the end. As the end justifies the means, Right ?????

Recommend 0

Nasir Khan

Aug 02, 2012 03:01am

Great Results

Recommend 0

liaquat

Aug 02, 2012 03:19am

keep it up, thanks!

Recommend 0

SALEEM

Aug 02, 2012 06:43am

WELL DONE - PLAYED WELL - CAPTAIN SOHAIL ABBAS SHOULD PRACTICE THE WHOLE DAY TODAY INORDER NOT TO MISS PENALTY CORNER SHOTS FOR WHICH HE HAS THE REPUTATION OF BEING THE BEST IN THE WORLD. KEEP UP THE BEST OF YOUR GAME AND SET A RECORD IN THE PAKISTAN HOCKEY. ALL THE BEST SALEEM

Recommend 0

Hasan

Aug 02, 2012 03:36am

Ameen

Recommend 0

Aziz

Aug 02, 2012 03:49am

Congratulations Pakistan i could not be able to see the second half due to load shading... hope the green shirts will win their next matches as well... our prayers with you

Recommend 0

Mohsin

Aug 02, 2012 04:30am

Dear Mr.zarrar..what do u mean by the easisest team??? Pakistan ranked below of either othe teams they played. And one more thing...who says Spain is a minnow?....i dont think so...If Paksitan able to reach the semis it will be the great achievement for them and for us. One advice for Pakistani team..Please retain your stamina for the end time as you looked too much tired at the end. Play like as u play against Spian .i.e. conserved your energy. Best of Luck..Pakistan Zindabad

Recommend 0

sana ullah

Aug 02, 2012 04:47am

Congratulations Pakistan. make a applicable plan for next match. should remain positive after taking lead, unlike 2nd half Strategy against Argentina

Recommend 0

ujmalik

Aug 02, 2012 05:06am

pick up your stick and show me your skills before such criticism. Checking the league table would help everyone!

Recommend 0

ujmalik

Aug 02, 2012 05:06am

Go Pakistan!

Recommend 0

Mubashra Hadi

Aug 02, 2012 05:35am

Go Green!!!

Recommend 0

ahmet abdulaziz

Aug 02, 2012 05:37am

very correctly said. Stamina is the key factor, we must not forget it.

Recommend 0

Amir

Aug 02, 2012 05:46am

Are you all watching the games to see how well Pakistan plays or to see what is Allah's will? If it's Allah's will then there's no need to follow the games, you'll come to know eventually.

Recommend 0

sana ullah

Aug 02, 2012 06:55am

very correctly said........... it would not be a easy job !!!!!!!!!!!!!

Recommend 0

Haseeb

Aug 02, 2012 07:03am

Suma Aameen

Recommend 0

faizy

Aug 02, 2012 07:52am

Victory was due to good defending. We stayed cool, and made few mistakes in the D, therefore few penalty corners conceded. Well done keep it up!

Recommend 0

Ali Vaqar Awan

Aug 02, 2012 12:10pm

Its great to see Pakistan winning against Argentina by 2-0. This was convincing victory for Pakistan. Nice to see attacking game being played. Hope so our hockey continues its wining ways and bring medal for our nation. Reaching semi-final is a tough ask but strong show and performance from our team can make it possible. Great to see our hockey team giving improved and motivated performance. Our team should fight till end and play with positive passion as it was in Argentina match. Next match is must win for Pakistan, that is against Britian. Inshallah, Pakistan will give its best show against Britian. My support is with Pakistan and will watch all its matches. Inshallah Pakistan come up with its best performance.

Recommend 0

sandeep

Aug 02, 2012 08:30am

all the best was just joking on the previous comment.

Recommend 0

junaid

Aug 02, 2012 05:25pm

Syd4U, I totaly agree with you. Even though Pakistan won the game by 2-0 , but I can give you in writing they have no chance against Britain , Netherland, Germany or even Korea. I am no expert of field hockey but just looking at the game they played against Argenina, I can tell obvious / basic flaws. Every player lacks the basic skill of stoping the ball cleanly and quickly. If you can not stop a hard hit and control it you have no chance thesedays. Only a miracle will win them a medal in this Olympic.

Recommend 0

ali

Aug 02, 2012 06:01pm

The forward line did not impress yesterday there were no coordinated moves and we gave away ball quite easily at times. even the passing was erratic. penalty corners saves us here.

Recommend 0

Branded Content

ParkView City homebuyers can now avail UBL Home Financing

The initiative enables aspiring homeowners to purchase property through formal banking channels instead of paying the full amount upfront.

Is your parents’ health insurance really complete?

Most plans only cover hospital stays. But what about a simple flu or a routine consultation? Here is why Jubilee General Parents Care Plus Plan is being called “Sub say complete coverage”.

Allied Bank sets new benchmark in customer experience with Pakistan’s first humanoid robot

This deployment aligns with the bank’s broader strategy to leverage emerging technologies to provide efficient, accessible and customer-focused banking solutions.