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India stun Pak in Ipoh
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SportsDesk on 15 May, 2008 03:19:50
 
Ipoh (Malaysia), May 15: India thwarted a series of late charges from Pakistan
to notch up a stunning 2-1 win over the arch rivals and stay in contention for
the title in the Azlan Shah hockey tournament here on Thursday.
Indian drag-flickers Sandeep Singh (6th minute) and Diwakar Ram (20th) rose up
to the expectation by scoring a goal apiece, while veteran Pakistani midfielder
Mohammad Saqlain (58th) netted the lone goal for his side.
With their third straight win in the tournament, India have now garnered nine
points from five matches. The Indians were in the attacking mode from the
beginning and Shivendra Singh led the forward line with command producing two
good chances that went abegging.
But in the sixth minute, Sandeep unleashed a power-packed shot to convert
India’s first penalty corner and give his side 1-0 lead. Three minutes later,
Sandeep had another chance to shoot at the Pakistani post, but this time his
attempt was rather predictable and the rival goal-keeper Rashid had no problem
in palming it away.
Banking on the third short corner, Diwakar Ram brought the second goal for
India. With both Sandeep and Diwakar on guard to have a go at the goal, the
Pakistanis had a little doubt about whom to tackle and the younger of the
rag-flickers fired his shot which hit Rashid’s shoulder before deflecting to
the roof of the net.
The amateurish-looking Pakistanis were completely off-colour in their approach.
While the defenders were too cautious, the attackers were half-hearted and
tentative. They wasted as many as four penalty corners in the first half. (PTI)