-Photo by AFP
Pakistan lost to world champions Australia 3-2 in the final of the Malaysia-based hockey tournament, with the winning goal being scored in extra time. The result, according to Junaid, could have been different had luck not eluded them in Sunday’s final at Ipoh.
“With a bit of luck, we could have not only avenged the earlier defeat (in the round-robin phase) but also won the championship,” he told APP after the team’s return from Malaysia.
The final was played in front of a packed Azlan Shah Stadium, where 500 Pakistani fans were reportedly in attendance. The match swayed between the two sides as Australia took the lead but were soon brought back on level terms. The world champions surged ahead once more, only for veteran striker Rehan Butt to bring his team back in the match. With the score tied at 2-2 at full time, the match went into extra time.
“This was Pakistan’s best performance against Australia in recent years, which kept the spectators on their feet through the course of its duration,” the former Olympian said.
Australia eventually clinched the title in the second half of extra time via a golden goal, but the Kookaburras were made to work hard for the win by a Pakistan side that comprised a mix of youth and experience. Junaid named Syed Kashif Shah, Muhammad Rizwan and Muhammad Imran as the ones to watch out for in the future.
It was, however, the old pros like Sohail Abbas, Rehan Butt and Shakeel Abbasi who were among the top awards at the conclusion of the tournament. Abbas, drag-flicking maestro and the world’s leading goal-scorer, was the tournament’s top-scorer with six goals from seven matches. Striker Shakeel Abbasi was named the Player of the Tournament for his key contributions in Pakistan’s campaign.
The team, meanwhile, won the Fair Play award for their spirited performances in the seven-nation tournament.
Earlier, Pakistan had received a 5-1 thrashing at the hands of the same opponents in the round-robin phase of the tournament. Junaid praised the team for rising above the loss to play a thrilling final and taking the match to extra time.
“They showed a lot of spirit and character in the final despite the earlier defeat.”
“Their excellent fightback and impressive performance in the final took Australia by surprise.”
The second-place finish in Malaysia comes on the back of Asian Games glory, which came in China last November and the Greenshirts’ manager believes the team is on its way to resurrecting the status of hockey, which once brought much joy to the nation.
