The once formidable Asian teams, India and Pakistan, survived the pangs humiliating of defeats several times before sharing points in the final minutes against China and Malaysia respectively in the Azlan Shah hockey tournament in Ipoh on Thursday.
From S.Thyagarajan
While India managed to draw with China, 17 seconds before the horn for a 1-1 result, Pakistan achieved parity 20 seconds before the hooter in the third match of the day for a 3-3 draw..
Korea however proved too good for Egypt registering a 6-0 victory.
Sun Tianjun scored an opportunistic goal midway in the first half and defended it well throughout. India, which failed to take advantage of five penalty corners got itself into knots before trooping out with a solitary point. It was a poor show in all by the defending champion.
Korea had a handsome start matching its stature in contemporary hockey subjugating the Egyptians by sox goals to nil after leading 4-0 at half-time. Penalty corner striker, Hyun Nam Woo, displayed his prowess hitting in three goals. Whatever initial resistance that the Egyptians indicated in the early part of the match vanished after a few minutes.
Trailing by a goal in the fourth minute, Malaysia struck twice through Hanafi, the Pakistanis recovered in the second half to score through Shafaquat Rasool and in the final seconds by Irfan Muhammad.
The results
Korea 6 (Hyun Nam Woo 3, Kim Young Jin, Lee Nam Young, Yu Wio Suk) beat Egypt 0 HT 4-0
China 1 (Sun Tunjian) drew with India 1 (Ravi Pal) HT 1-0
Malaysia 3 (Hafifihafiz Hanafi 2, Amin Rahim) drew with Pakistan 3 (Rasool Hafquat, Ifran Muhammad, Zubhair Mohammad)) HT 1-1
Friday's matches: Australia v Egypt; Pakistan v India; Korea v Malaysia.
