Pakistan beat India to clinch Asian Champions Trophy
India earlier beat Pakistan 2-1 in the same tournament. -File photo
KARACHI: Pakistan defeated India 5-4 in an exciting Asian Hockey Champions Trophy final at the Al Rayyan Stadium in Doha, Qatar on Thursday to clinch the gold medal.
It was a close match, marred by controversy in the final few minutes, with India walking off the field in protest against a penalty corner that was not given. They came back on with two minutes left in the match as Pakistan held on to secure the win.
Shafqat Rasool scored one while Mohammad Waqas and captain Mohammad Imran scored two goals apiece.
The Greenshirts opened the scoring in the seventh minute through a penalty corner scored by Waqas, but India equalised within two minutes through SV Sunil.
Raghunath then gave his side the lead in the 21st minute as India went into half-time 2-1 up.
In the second-half, the tempo of the game was much faster with both teams creating chances and Rasool soon gave Pakistan the equaliser in the 42nd minute.
Imran’s goal gave Pakistan the lead again but India pulled one back through Gurvinder Chandi to make the score 3-3. However, Waqas soon restored Pakistan’s lead in the 57th minute but Rupinderpal Singh scored yet another equaliser for the men in blue.
Pakistan were awarded a penalty corner in the 64th minute which led to Imran scoring the winning goal.
The tournament comprised six top teams from Asia – Pakistan, China, India, Oman, Malaysia and Japan.
Pakistan thrashed Oman in their opening match 8-3, followed by a 5-2 win over China, a 3-3 draw against Malaysia and lost 2-1 to India who they had beaten to clinch the bronze medal at the Champions Trophy earlier this month in Melbourne, Australia. Pakistan brushed aside Japan 5-2 in the final pool match to set up a clash with India.
Meanwhile, Malaysia clinched the bronze medal after beating China 3-1.
A penalty stroke denied to India
I have since read a number of artcles. India was awarded a penalty stroke (2 mins. from the hooter) when a Pakistani player elbowed him inside the box. The near referee (5 ft from the scene) awarded a PS to the Indian team. All Pakistani players (except goal-keeper) surrounded the referee. The said referee then talked with the other referee who was 30 meters away. Strangely, the far referee without the benefits of a video referral (there was none in the tournament) reversed the PS decision.
Indians were aghast. According to coach Nobbs and captain Sardara Singh, this was the first such incident in the whole tournament. The whole Indian team felt that they were robbed.
One Pakistani player later commented — that is how it goes in games. A fair statement, but before dishing out comments like Indians are unsporting, please know the whole truth.
Re. cricket, we all know how Sohaib Akhtar got Sachin out in Eden Gardens, Calcutta.
Shoaib Akhtar got Sachin out in Calcutta, we all know, that is why BCCI does not allow DRS referral to work in the matches they play.
Green or Blue, please win World Cup. Win from other of you, will make us (especially in foreign countries) proud in the end. Congrates Pakistan team for champion trophy.
Great stuff from Pakistan. Congratulations to the team.
Well about time the green shirts can controll th macth . Because are young and they have a great speed . we should give chances to youn people . Viva Pakistan
congratz pak,,anyway it was a very good match,,i don knw hw many f we Indains and Pakistanis have watched this match,,they all were going behind the fucking cricket,,eventhough i never played this game in my life ,, i love this for it’s beauty,,,
Why did i missed such a match, would have loved to see, well done guys couple of more of matches like this will definitely generate interest in this game.
YOU missed it, because YOU were not with the right crowd -:)
Great Victory, buck up Boys !
CONGRATULATIONS. GREETINGS. MUBARAQ. Very tough win. Indian team won in the league game and now it was our team’s turn to win. Hockey must have been at its best when nine goals are scored in a game played between neighboring countries. It develops the interest of a regular person and since they play more or less the same style of hockey, it will bring back the old fashion hockey to the modern lap tops of the current coaches. Significant highlight of this tournament was that too many goals were scored against the defence of our team. Offensively, it was an improved outing. Forwards scored a lot of goals. Undoubtedly, Pakistan is the best in the Asia and number 3 in the World. Time again they won against India and lost couple of times only. Indian side is also improving rapidly and with one big tournament win can come back on the medal podium. In recent times Pakistan has defeated South Korea also. Now, the brilliant coaching staff will focus on the consistency and I am sure that day is not far away, when we will be back as Olympic and World and Champions trophy winners. Nation should extend a Thank you to the team, Great’s Akhtar Rasool and Hanif Khan. Also PHF.
Finally our young hockey team is coming of age.
Congrats!
Congratulations for both the teams for a good game, where the rival hockeys dialogued well!
Well done, Green shirts.
It was a very good victory,a close contest is always thrilling.This triumph should not be the last one.
Congratulation Pakistan. I dont know about the “controversy ” since I could not watch the match. Nevertheless, Congratualtions. I belive Pakistan got the victory they worked for. it is always a pleasure to see Pakistan play. I wish India would play as consistently as Pakistan does.
Welldone Pakistan. Keep it up
Pakistan 5, India 4. What a game like two feeble wrestlers trying to reach a decision.
Hahah pakistan men hilarious jokers to the max
Hardly anyone can speak English
Sara@ Pakistani players speak through their hockey sticks. that’s what they are supposed to do.
whats your point
what does english language has to do with hockey…well.
done pakistan congratulations!!!
But they can paly Hockey thats their job. Well done Paksitan
@Saira: Haha !! English men hilarious jokers to the max
— Peace.
Hardly anyone can speak Urdu.
And the list will go on for the jokers around the world. I wonder which one contains your name
Well said.
are you serious?
Speaking “English” does not make one smart. If that was the case, all great ideas should have been written and invented in English. That’s not the case. Democracy, a Greek invention who never knew “English”. Algebra and Arabic numerals have very little to do with “English”.
One day you’ll grow up and realize that people are still designing languages to better express themselves. Try Ithkuil.
They are hockey players. If they win without speaking English, that’s enough for us.
I would be proud of any player who speaks Urdu instead of trying to speak English. It is an inferiority complex trying to adopt another language. Be proud of your own language and let your skills speak the rest.
You are funny Saira…………very funny…..
Saira, I believe anybody reading your comment is laughing at you.
Great performance green shirts…Pakistan Zindabad….
well done Pakistan ,,, ,,,, Pakistan have proved they are best in the Asia,,,,