India pack Pak for bronze
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Jakarta, Sept. 1: India maintained their recent domination over archrivals Pakistan with a fighting 2- 1 win to bag a consolation bronze medal after a below- par semifinal performance at the Asian Games on Saturday.
Akashdeep Singh scored a brilliant field goal in the third minute while Harmanpreet Singh extended India’s advantage in the 50th minute off a penalty corner. Muhammad Atiq increased the heart rate of Indian fans reducing the margin in the 52nd minute from a counter- attack.
But the Indians didn’t repeat the same mistake which they committed against Malaysia in the semifinals and managed to hold on to the lead to at least reedem some pride.
World number five India, who came into the tournament
Akashdeep Singh scored a brilliant field goal in the third minute while Harmanpreet Singh extended India’s advantage in the 50th minute off a penalty corner.
● Muhammad Atiq reduced the margin in the 52nd minute from a counter- attack to send the pulses racing but India managed to hold on to the lead to reedem pride.
as favourites being the defending champions, will go back home with a bronze, having beaten 13th ranked Pakistan for the second time in the last three months. The Indians had defeated Pakistan 4- 0 in the Champions Trophy in June.
After the semifinal heartbreak, India on Saturday seemed like a team on a mission from the first minute.
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. A referral was taken but it was adjudged that the ball had not crossed the goal line.
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.
In the fourth quarter, India kept looking for the second goal with repeated entries into the Pakistani circle. They finally got the cushion goal from their first penalty corner in the 50th minute which was neatly converted by dragflicker 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.
Another late equaliser against India was on the cards and the match was turning out to be a typical Indo- Pak thriller but somehow the Indians managed to hold on to the lead. — PTI