Pak Beat Canada 2-1 in Opener Of Champions Challenge Cup
Ace drag flicker completed his 300 goals and starred in Pakistan's 2-1 win over American Continental Champions Canada in the opener of Champions Challenge Cup marred by questionable umpiring decisions and rain here on Sunday at Popeye baseball club.
Sohail was the architect of Pakistan's narrow win in the match in Which Spanish Umpire Francisco Vazquez and rain compounded the problems of the green shirts.
The suspension of custodian Salman Akbar for two minutes through the introduction of new "green card rule for coming out early from the cage off a short corner of the Canadian side, surprised every one and the Canadian side took full advantage of his suspension. Tiny make shift goal keeper Sajjad Akbar who Stood under the bar without pads helplessly saw the ball going in the post in the 47th minute before Sohail Proved his superb PROWESS and pushing abilities by converting successive short corners to Give 2-0 lead at half time under cold and windy conditions.
Sohail wrote his name in hockey record books by completing his 300 goals in international hockey. His career spanned over 16 years but only early fifty spectators watched this rare feat. Pakistan team defied rain and poor umpiring in the second half on an Absorbing the first half.
Things turned Bad to worst when rain made the pitch soggy and players faced hardship in ball control, passing and launching moves.
Then in another wrong Francisco judgment, gave an unfair decision in the closing stages of the play, Awarding a short corner, but upon the protest of the Pakistani players that the ball did not touch the leg of a defender inside the striking circle, they reversed his decision after consulting other Umpire Thomas Dumon from Belgium.
Pakistan and Canada anticipated man to man marking tight game in the first half and the green shirts stamped with the Supremacy their 14th minute goal off the first short corner. Sohail doubled the lead four minute before the close of the first half by placing the ball in the roof nets with the Canadian team bowing down to pressure. From Pakistan Rehan Butt, Shakeeb Abbasi Haeem Khan, Muhammad Akhtar Ali Zuabir and dominated in lively moves but all lacked in applying finishing touch to Which restricted them from scoring field goals.
But the color and sting of Sohail's fearsome "push" Vanished in the air when they remained unsuccessful coming off the three short corners with the mounting pressure opponents and Pakistani Strikers desperate to enlarge the lead exhibited missing in action in the field in numerous attacks, dominated by both flanks and mid-field.
Canadian side broke the dead lock off the second short corner through Wayne Fernandes, taking advantage of Salman's suspension but as soon as he was back in the goalpost they could not get the benefit from their third and last penalty corner. Canadian forwards including captain Ken Pereira, Ranjeev Deol and Phil Wright, saw their goal scoring moves ended in frustration when their shots eluded the post or Slaman blocked with greater anticipation.
Pakistan, after a day's rest on Monday, will play Argentina on December 8
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