Indian hockey team thrashed Pakistan 3-1 to notch their third straight win at the Asia Cup in Bangladesh on Sunday. The Indians, thus, finished on top of Pool A. Chinglensana Singh (17th minute), Ramandeep Singh (44th) and Harmanpreet Singh (45th) scored for India. For Pakistan, Ali Shan (49th) was the lone scorer. This was India’s fifth consecutive win against Pakistan. Despite the result, Pakistan are in the top four along with India from Pool A. From Pool B, South Korea and Malaysia are in the semi-finals. India might again face Pakistan, but not before the final. Follow highlights of India vs Pakistan, Asia Cup hockey here.
FT! INDIA WIN!! It's three from three as the Men in Blue sail past Pakistan on 15th Oct.#INDvPAK #HeroAsiaCup pic.twitter.com/e71qKQkxcQ
— Hockey India (@TheHockeyIndia) October 15, 2017
6:46 PM IST: That’s it! India have won the match 3-1 to top Pool A
6:44 PM IST: India go for another referral.
6:41 PM IST: India get their third PC and miss it. They need to convert their chances.
6:39 PM IST: Two minutes left in the game!
6:36 PM IST: It is Pakistan who is relying on counter-attack now. India still have a two-goal advantage.
6:34 PM IST: Goalkeeper Akash Chitke makes a brilliant save to deny Pakistan their second goal.
6:29 PM IST: Less than 10 minutes into the game left! India need to hold on as Pakistan continue to look for goals.
6:24 PM IST: Pakistan have lost their last four matches against India.
6:23 PM IST: GOAL! Pakistan have reduced the gap through Ali Shan’s reverse hit in the 48th minute. They still trail 1-3
6:20 PM IST : The fourth quarter starts!
6:18 PM IST: GOAL! India get their second PC and Harmanpreet Singh successfully converts it in the 45th minute.
6:15 pm IST: GOAL! Ramandeep Singh makes it 2-0 for India with a diving effort after Manpreet gave a brilliant pass from right.
6:12 PM IST: Pakistan get their third penalty corner and they miss it once again. The ball didn’t even come close to the goalpost. That’s poor!
6:10 PM IST: India need to take advantage since they have more men on the field. But in the third quarter they are yet to make in-roads consistently. The penalty corner was exception though.
6:09 PM IST: India get a penalty corner! Their first and it is hit outside by Varun Kumar. Chance wasted.
6:06 PM IST: Despite being two men short, Pakistan got yet another opportunity to equalise. But Shan Ali wasted the one-on-one chance.
6:04 PM IST: India are committing quite a few mis-passes. However, another Pakistan player gets yellow card, They are down to nine men.
6:01 PM IST: India are looking for their first PC. But their attack is blunted right outside the D.
5:59 PM IST: Pakistan player gets five minute suspension for foul. They are down to 10 men.
5:56 PM IST: The third quarter starts!
5:52 PM IST: Indian players have looked much faster than their Pakistan counterparts. Their fitness gives them the edge over their rivals.
5:47 PM IST: It’s half-time and India continue to lead Pakistan 1-0
5:43 PM IST: India takes a successful referral and Pakistan is denied their third penalty corner.
5:40 PM IST: India have greater ball possession till now but it is Pakistan who have won the penalty corners.
5:40 PM IST: BRILLIANT SAVE! Suraj Karkera denies Pakistan the equaliser.
5:38 PM IST: With five minutes left for the second quarter to end, India have again increased men at the back. They are relying on counter-attack now.
5:37 PM IST: Indian defence has stood strong till now with Pakistan trying hard to equalised.
5:36 PM IST: Pakistan get another penalty corner and they miss again! Ayaz was brought down by Manpreet but goalkeeper Suraj Karkera makes good save
5:33 PM IST: India again on the attack. This time from the left flank. But Lalit Upadhyay couldn’t connect well.
5:30 PM IST : GOAL!! C hinglensana Singh gives India 1-0 lead vs Pakistan in the 17th minute. He made a powerful run into the D and made no mistake despite two Pakistan defenders close on his heels.
5:26 PM IST: First quarter ends 0-0
5:25 PM IST: A very poor penalty corner from Pakistan as Indian defence clears it with ease. However, India need to wary of the growing Pakistan presence in the flanks.
5:24 PM IST: Pakistan get their first penalty corner off their first proper attack.
5:23 PM IST: Pakistan’s Muhammed Rizwan gets two minute suspension for dangerous play
5:23 PM IST: Akashdeep and SV Sunil are combining well up front. India are the more dominant side so far. They are trying to make inroads
5:20 PM IST: Indian defence has increased men in the D as yet another Pakistan attack in nipped in the bud
5:18 PM IST: That was close! Manpreet sends a long pass from near the centre-line but Akashdeep Singh fails to tap the ball in.
5:14 PM IST: Indian right flank is more mobile in the first quarter. Play mostly limited to the mid-field as of now.
5:12 PM IST: No lethal attack from either teams so far.
5:10 PM IST: Indian team forwards on the offensive but Pakistan goalkeeper averts the danger.
5:09 PM IST: Action begins!
5:05 PM IST: Both teams are on the field. It’s time for the national anthems
5:00 PM IST: India are already in super fours by virtue of their two wins. Pakistan have won one, drawn one and need to defeat India to progress
4:56 PM IST: In the two matches so far, India have scored 13 goals.
4:52 PM IST: The starting line-up of India is here.
Harmanpreet Singh, Surender Kumar, SK Uthappa, Varun Kumar, Sardar Singh, SV Sunil, Suraj Karkera, Akashdeep Singh, Manpreet Singh (C), Chinglensana Singh, Lalit Upadhyay
4:52 PM IST: India’s ace drag-flicker Rupinder Pal Singh explained before the match why this game is different from other. “Whenever you play Pakistan there is a different kind of pressure. Players just want to go all out from the word go and gain the upper hand. It adds to the pressure,” says the defender from Punjab.
4:48 PM IST: The India vs Pakistan hockey match is about to begin in 15 minutes. Till then see the highlights of India’s 5-0 win over Bangladesh on Saturday.
#ICYMI: Catch India’s spectacular win over hosts Bangladesh in the #HeroAsiaCup 2017 (Men) on 13th Oct.#IndiaKaGame pic.twitter.com/vbDBqyEU5I
— Hockey India (@TheHockeyIndia) October 14, 2017
4:43 PM IST: 30 of those 169 matches played between India and Pakistan have ended in draw
4:39 PM IST: Out of the 169 matches, Pakistan have won 82 games while India have won 57.
4:35 PM IST: India are currently sitting atop Pool A with six points from two wins while Pakistan are placed second with four points.
4:30 PM IST: This is the two team’s 170th match in the international stage.
4:25 PM IST: India’s much-anticipated clash against Pakistan will be a tough test.
4:20 PM iST: Hello and welcome to the live coverage of the exciting match.
The Sjoerd Marijne-coached India have so far stormed to the top of the pool with easy victories over Japan (5-1) and hosts Bangladesh (7-0). They will be aiming to continue to pump in more goals with their forwards in very good form.
On the other hand, Pakistan dropped two points after Japan held them 2-2. The record world champions had earlier drubbed Bangladesh 7-0.
At the Hockey World League Semi-Final in London, India had thrashed Pakistan 7-1 in the pool stage and followed it up with a 6-1 win in the classification match.
India are comfortably through to the Super 4 stage of the tournament and would hope to finish the pool stages with an all-win record.
History suggests that any Indo-Pak hockey duel is full of not just excitement and drama but also frayed tempers.
Pakistan might not be the most potent force in world hockey presently but when it comes to playing against India, the intensity touches a new level.
HT
