JAKARTA: Not even bronze. Pakistan hockey team will return home from the Asian Games empty-handed for only the second time in their history after going down 2-1 to arch-rivals India in the third-place playoff on Saturday.

In a clash in which both Pakistan and India were looking to rebound from their stunning semi-final defeats to Japan and Malaysia respectively, India made a strong start and took a third-minute lead through Akashdeep Singh’s brilliant field goal.

Harmanpreet Singh doubled India’s advantage in the 50th minute off a penalty corner before Mohammad Atiq gave Pakistan a glimmer of hope when he scored off a counterattack two minutes later.

Volleyball team finishes eighth, Rugby Sevens team 10th

Pakistan, however, couldn’t find the leveller and this record eight-time champions will leave the Games without a medal for the first time since 2002.

“It is disappointing to lose to India today,” Pakistan’s Dutch coach Roelant Oltmans said afterwards. “I think we were better in the third and the fourth quarter. However, it’s still early days for the development of the team. We’re trying to build a proper structure and put Pakistan hockey back on track.”

The loss also meant Oltmans missed a chance to gain revenge over India. He was sacked by India last year before being appointed Pakistan coach in March. He admitted Pakistan had lost to a better team.

“India are by far the best team in Asia,” he told the Press Trust of India news agency. “It was surprising that they lost to Malaysia [in the semis]. They should be disappointed.”

India’s victory against Pakistan was their second in three months over their fierce rivals. They had defeated Pakistan 4-0 in the Champions Trophy in June.

After creating a couple of early chances, the Indians struck as early as in the third minute through Akashdeep, who fired the ball into the goal over Pakistan goalkeeper Imran Butt after receiving a measured pass from Lalit Upadhyay as the partisan Indian crowd went into a frenzy.

Pakistan almost equalised in the fifth minute but Atiq’s reverse hit could only find the right post.

From there on, India were all over Pakistan in the opening quarter but could not extend the lead after Mandeep Singh missed an easy chance. Pakistan came out an improved side in the second quarter, making more repeated forays into the Indian circle but their two attempts through Muhammad Dilbeer and Ajaz Ahmad were unsuccessful.

Pakistan got two back-to-back penalty corners in the 22nd minute but wasted both. Pakistan enjoyed more possession in the last two quarters, missing a third penalty corner in the 39th, before India converted theirs thanks to Harmanpreet.

Pakistan made an immediate fightback through Atiq, who put the ball in after a fine pass from Mahmood Abu Bakar from a counter-attack.

Pakistan pressed for a leveller but it was India who almost scored with Mandeep Singh missing a golden chance in the final minute.

On the last full day of competition at the Games, Pakistan’s volleyball team also lost. They were beaten 3-1 by Thailand in their seventh-place playoff after having won the first set of a clash lasting almost 100 minutes.

Pakistan got off to an ideal start, winning the opening set 25-20 but Thailand launched a superb comeback winning the next three sets 25-23, 28-26 and 25-21.

The Rugby Sevens team, meanwhile, ended in 10th place after losing their opening match of the day 7-15 to Afghanistan, who topped their 9th-12th place classification round, before thrashing United Arab Emirates 74-0.

Published in Dawn, September 2nd, 2018