By Hamad Hussain
KARACHI
(TheSportsNext) July 30, 2012: Pakistan hockey team
displayed a promising performance at Riverbank Arena in their first hockey
match of Group A in the London Olympics 2012 against European giant Spain as
both teams settled for 1-1 draw in the excellent hockey match.
The spectators and fans of both nations witnessed
excellent hockey of 70 minutes between the two teams. The match was started at
fast pace but both teams failed to score goal in the first half. Pakistan got
the first real opportunity in the 11th minute of the match when they
won the penalty corner but their skipper world record holder penalty corner
specialist Sohail Abbas failed to convert it into goal.
Spain launched a counter attack and they won their first penalty corner in the 17th minute of the match but Pakistan goal keeper Imran Shah blocked the attack of Pau Quemada. Pakistan earned their second penalty corner in the 21st minute of the match but again Sohail Abbas effort was blocked by Spanish goal keeper Cortes. The score was 0-0 at half time.
Spain launched a counter attack and they won their first penalty corner in the 17th minute of the match but Pakistan goal keeper Imran Shah blocked the attack of Pau Quemada. Pakistan earned their second penalty corner in the 21st minute of the match but again Sohail Abbas effort was blocked by Spanish goal keeper Cortes. The score was 0-0 at half time.
The hockey fans had witnessed two excellent field
goals in span of just 45 seconds. Rehan Butt scored the opening goal of the
match with brilliant move by Pakistan forward and gave Pakistan 1-0 lead in
45:43’ minute of the match.
As Pakistan fans were celebrating their lead and
moment, Quemada stunned the Pakistan hockey team and fans with excellent reverse
hit goal in the 46:28’ minute of the match. Spain almost took lead in the 47th
minute of the match when they converted their second penalty corner but they
were denied goal by the umpire on protest of Pakistani players as they were decided
to contact the tv umpire.
One of the major deficiencies in Pakistan hockey team
was their poor fitness as they were down and out in the last fifteen minutes of
the match. The inability to control the ball possession was the major concern
for the Pakistan hockey fans as they were only concentrating on long passes by
scoping the ball in the Spain half and lost the control of the ball. Pakistan
hockey team need to overcome their deficiencies and weaknesses highlighted from
this match as it will help them improving their game in the remaining important
matches of London 2012 Olympics but it was much improved performance by the Pakistan
hockey team considering their dismal show in the warm-up matches against the
European teams.
Both teams tried their level best to take lead but
they failed in their efforts and they had to settle for one point each in all
important Group A match. Pakistan will now face Argentine in their next match
on August 1 while Spain will take on Australia on the same day.
In other match of Group A, Australia humiliated South
Africa 6-0 as Dwyer was the star for the Aussies. In Group matches, Indian
hockey team also put up impressive show against Netherlands as they came
back from 2-0 at half time to make the equalizer in the second half but
Netherlands had the last laugh as they won the all important match by 3-2. It is
pertinent to mention here that Indians failed to qualify directly for the
London Olympics and they had to play the Olympic qualifying round.
South Korea started their London 2012 Olympics
campaign in style with important 2-0 victory over New Zealand in their first
Group B match.
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