Pakistan

ANUPAM GHULATI
An insipid India crashed to their third successive defeat in the Rabo Trophy hockey tournament today when they were outclassed 3-1 by arch rivals Pakistan at the Wagener stadium here.

The winners, who led 2-0 at the break, took full advantage of the error prone Indians who were shaky in defence and erratic in their attacks.

Pakistan converted two of the six penalty corners through Muhammad Saqlain (15th) and Imran Muhammad (30th) while striker Shakeel Abassi struck in the 68th minute.

Didar singh found the mark for India with a dragflick in the 56th min.

India struck a bright patch initially and it appeared that the fluency and flair had perhaps returned, but they flattered to deceive thereafter.

Winger Prabhjot Singh forayed into the circle in the opening minute to earn the first of their six penalty corners. However, Kanwalpreet Singh lifted the ball from the set piece.

India won their next penalty corner shortly after as Viren Rasquinha created space but was fouled as he made it to the circle.

The reultant shot from Dilip Tirkey was met by an onrushing Pakistan defender.

Pakistan slowly got into the groove with excelled midfield control by skipper Saqlain whose measured passes to forwards Rehan Butt, Mudassar Ali and Shakeel created plenty of flutter and panic for the Indians. They nearly broke the ice when Butt narrowly missed with a reverse shot after side stepping both Dilip Tirkey and Kanwalpreet.

They however took the lead from their third set piece attempt when Saqlain finished off an indirect in the 15th min.

India appeared to cave in with this reversal and never came back in theis session, conceeding another penalty corner goal in the 30th minute.

Imran's dragflick which appeared to be going wide whas deflected in by Didar Singh past the bewildered Indian goalkeeper Devesh Chauhan.

Pakistan mounted the pressure thereafter but the Indians foiled two set piece attempts before the crossover.

India had their moments to reduce the margin but Gagan Ajit Singh missed an easy set up in the middle of the circle and then Deepak Thakur sent a soft reverse hit to the rival custodian Salman Akbar.

The second session saw India at their confused best as unforced errors galore. Their was no coordination on the link flanks manned by Davinder Pal Singh and Prabhdeep Singh with Rasquinha, Ignace Tirkey and Bimal Lakra. Even Arjun Halappa and Prabhjot made heavy weather of this encounter.

India managed to put one across however after Didar worked his way in from the right flank, winning a penalty corner which he dragflicked home, thus raising some hopes of recovery.

That was however not to be as Pakistan regrouped immediately with lightening counter attacks from Shabbir Hussain and Butt.

They met with success two minutes from the long whistle with another breakaway move orchestrated by Mudassar relaying the pass to Shabbir. The Pakistan winger dodged past captain Tirkey and the waiting Abbasi provided the last touch past Chauhan for Pakistan's well deserved win.

India will now play for the 7th and 8th position against England on Saturday.

With today's victory Pakistan collected four points from two games and will clash with world champions Germany on Friday. A win there will take them for a podium playoff on Sunday.

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