LAHORE: Pakistan’s senior hockey team beat the junior hockey team 2-1 in the last match of the three-match series at the National Hockey Stadium here on Monday.

The victory helped the seniors win the series 2-0.

They should thank Arslan Qadir who scored both the goals for them and saved their blushes before participating in the Asian Champions Trophy, which is due to begin by end of this month.

The juniors, who are to participate in the upcoming World Cup in India in December this year, held the seniors to a 2-2 draw in the first match and then lost back-to-back matches by slim margins to earn some pride.

The seniors should be disappointed with their performance. Had the juniors not missed three open scoring chances, the result would have been quite different in the last match.

Though the seniors opened the game aggressively, it was juniors who took the lead in the seventh minute.

Their captain Dilber controlled a loose ball deep in the opponents’ territory and then sensibly beat a defender in the circle and passed the ball to Mohsin Sabir, who put his team ahead with a reverse hit from the top of the circle.

The seniors muffed a field goal chance when Ijaz failed to get the target in the 15th minute as the early lead of the juniors geared up a grueling fight for supremacy.

During the second quarter, the seniors played better and earned two penalty-corners but failed to take advantage.

After the juniors wasted consecutive scoring chances in the 32nd and 35th minutes, the seniors increased the pace of attack and earned three short corners, but wasted all of them.

Finally, a fine cross by Haseem Khan from the right was availed by Arslan, whose top of the circle shot sounded the board to equalise the score 1-1.

The seniors then earnestly struggled for the winner and finally got it through their sixth penalty-corner in the 58th minute and again it was Arslan who scored, giving the final touch off an indirect drill.

Published in Dawn October 11th, 2016