Hockey: Australia defeats Pakistan on Day 5 of 20th Sultan Azlan Shah Cup
Australia has emerged victorious over Pakistan after a commanding four goal win (5-1) at the 20th Sultan Azlan Shah Cup contested on May 09 at the Sultan Azlan Shah Stadium in Ipoh, Malaysia.
The first half of play ended with the Australian side leading by 2-1 over the Green-shirts. Simon Orchard and James Wilson scored for Australia, while Sohail Abbas for Pakistan. The Green-shirts found many chances to score but failed.
With the start of the second half, the Green-shirts earned another short corner but this time Sohail Abbas failed to convert the opportunity. In a counter-strike, the Aussies’ skipper, Simon Orchard, managed to take the ball inside the circle in the 41st
minute of the game and past Imran Shah through a drag-flick shot. With this goal, Australia took a two-goal lead in the game.
The Aussies with the passage of time started to dominate the field with ball possession. In the 49th minute of the game, the Kookaburras earned their third short corner of the match. Christopher Ciriello scored off the chance in the 51st
minute to expand the lead up to three goals.
Soon after the four minutes, Australia once again succeeded to take the ball into their control. This time James Wilson once again struck a powerful shot at the Pakistani goal in the 55th minute of the match. Imran Shah did not have a chance to
stop the ball and Australia took the lead up to four goals, 5-1.
Australia dominated the game and did not allow the opponent Pakistani team to make a return into the game until the final horn. In reality, Pakistan did not make any headway in the game.
With two minutes left on the clock, Australia earned their fourth short corner but Christopher failed to convert it. As the final horn sounded, Pakistan lost the game by four goals, 5-1.
New Zealand will face Great Britain in the next fixture of the fifth day of the Azlan Shah Tourney. It will be the fourth match for Great Britain in the event whereas the third for New Zealand.
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