Champions Trophy: Pakistan wins a thriller against India, makes Final
The Hindu
Germany's Florian Fuchs scores past the Australian defenders in the semi final of the Champions Trophy hockey at Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar, Odisha on Saturday. Photo: Sandeep Saxena
Germany downs five-time champion Australia in the other semifinal
The Saturday blockbuster involving India and Pakistan had disappointment in store for the passionate home fans as the host lost 4-3 an evenly-contested, high voltage semifinal clash of the Champions Trophy hockey tournament at the Kalinga Stadium here.
Incidentally, India had also lost to the same opponent in the last four of the 2012 edition in Melbourne.
The defeat also meant that the third place finish in 1982 remains India's best ever performance in the Champions Trophy.
Meets Germany
World No. 11 Pakistan, which reached the final after 16 years on the strength of Muhammad Arslan Qadir's brace, will take on Olympic champion and nine-time winner Germany on Sunday.
The world No. 3 edged past five-time defending champion Australia 3-2.
It was also a big achievement for Germany, which had struggled throughout the year and came into this event with a team which had several players from the 2013 Junior World Cup-winning squad, as it made the final after 2009.
As expected, Pakistan used its sharpened wings to cut through the Indian defence frequently and kept hitting into the circle from the right.
India, which kept its cool and tried to maintain its structure, was lucky that a few of the attempts did not find the target. P.R. Sreejesh again showed his alertness in blocking a few.
India's response was occasional, but one of it earned the breakthrough as Gurjinder Singh rolled wide and into the right corner of the Pakistan post to put India ahead off its first penalty corner in the 12th minute.
Pakistan wasted its video referral after unsuccessfully challenging the goal.
Gurbaj Singh's foul on a Pakistani player in the 14th minute cost India dear.
The key player was yellow-carded for 10 minutes and the host conceded a short corner at the stroke of the first quarter.
Pakistan struck back soon after resumption as the hard-working Ammad Shakeel Butt crossed it from the right and Qadir defected it in to silence the packed house.
India, which played most of the second quarter with 10 men, was led well by Sardar Singh and managed to prevent further damage.
Pakistan tightened the screws by scoring the second goal after the change of ends. Qadir received a through ball on the edge of the circle and precisely crossed it to Muhammad Waqas to push it home.
In a highly physical game, which witnessed three Pakistanis and one Indian getting temporary suspension in a span of 14 minutes, India replied with two penalty corners but the scoreline remained unaltered.
India equalised through Dharamvir Singh, but the match swung again in favour of Pakistan with Muhammad Irfan converting a penalty corner.
Despite issues with trapping inside the Pakistan ‘D’, Nikkin Thimmaiah guided home a pass from Gurbaj to make it 3-3.
A minute-and-a-half away from close, Qadir slotted home the winner and the Pakistan players celebrated by taking off their jerseys as emotions flared in the stands.
The results:
Semifinals: Germany 3 (Timur Cruz 5, Mats Grambusch 9, Florian Fuchs 31) bt Australia Chris Ciriello 34, Nicholas Budgeon 42).
Pakistan 4 (Muhammad Arslan Qadir 16, 59, Muhammad Waqas 32, Muhammad Irfan 49) bt India 3 (Gurjinder Singh 12, Dharamvir Singh 44, Nikkin Thimmaiah 49).
5th-8th places: The Netherlands 2 (Jeroen Hertzberger 11, Sander Baart 30) bt Belgium 2 (Tom Boon 49, Tanguy Cosyns 60) via penalty shoot-out [Ned 4 (Hertzberger, Robert Kemperman, Seve van ***, Baart) bt Belgium 2 (Felix Denayer, Arthur van Doren)].
Argentina 2 (Gonzalo Peillat 25, 48) bt England 1 (Ashley Jackson 12).
