Pakistan have qualified for the semi-finals of Asian Games 2010 by beating Bangladesh 6-1 in the quarter-final match on Sunday.
Pakistan have been the dominant team of this game, as the world record holder penalty corner specialist Sohail Abbas, scored two goals for Pakistan while Mohammad Imran and Shakeel Abbasi also played a key part by scoring two goals each.
Pakistani hockey team learned from its mistakes which it made in the last match against India. Pakistan looked attacking right from the start and Abbasi scored first goal of the match in the 13th minute. Converting a penalty corner Abbas scored
another goal, after two minutes. In the 27th minute of the first half of the match Abbasi dodged three defenders and scored third goal for Pakistan. Abbas scored a fourth goal through a short corner in 29th
minute giving Pakistan a 4-0 lead at the end of the first half.
Vice-captain Mohammad Imran converted two penalty corners and gave Pakistan a 6-0 lead. Bangladesh, however, acquired a consolation goal from Taposh Barmon seven minutes before the final whistle.
Telling about the team’s performance Sohail Abbas said:
“We took this match as if we were playing the final, because we must continue to win if we are to reach and win the final,”
Comparing the performance of previous game with India, Sohail said:
“Penalty corners are the most important part of modern hockey. India scored two of them while we missed and lost the game. That turned the game around.”
Pakistan is expected to meet defending Champions South Korea on 23
November for a place in final. Koreans whipped Singapore by 12-1 in their last league match. The second semi-final will take place between India and Malaysia.
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