London: The Indian hockey team continued their domination of arch-foes Pakistan, handing them a 6-1 thrashing in a 5th-8th place classification match of the Hockey World League Semifinals here Saturday.
Goals by Ramandeep Singh (eighth, 28th), Talwinder Singh (25th), Mandeep Singh (27th, 59th), and Harmanpreet Singh (36th) helped India decimate Pakistan and set up a clash with Canada in the 5th-6th place play-off.
India displayed good attack right from the start. Satbir Singh was quick to spot Ramandeep in the circle who seized the opportunity for India to take a 1-0 lead in the eighth minute.
India took their lead to a convincing 4-0 in the second quarter. First it was Pardeep Mor who did well with a fierce pass to Talwinder Singh who simply deflected the ball into the post in the 25th minute.
Brilliantly assisted by SV Sunil, Akashdeep dribbled in the baseline to get past the defender to nick the ball towards the net. It was Mandeep Singh who got the touch on the ball to take India’s lead to a healthy 3-0 in the 27th minute.
India’s fourth goal came in the 28th minute when Sunil assisted Ramandeep from the far post. It was a diving effort by Ramandeep that ensured his second goal.
Pressure mounted on Pakistan when India won their second PC in the 36th minute. Harmanpreet Singh made use of the opportunity and take India’s lead to a formidable 5-0.
Pakistan finally found a breakthrough in the 41st minute when Ajaz Ahmad took advantage of a defensive error. Mandeep Singh managed to take India’s lead to 6-1 in the 59th minute scoring the goal off a rebound.
Press Trust of India
