Pakistan play another draw against Malaysia

GOLD COAST, Queensland (Australia), Apri 11 (APP)::Pakistan just needed a win to book a 5th place but all such
expectations and hopes went otherwise when the green-shirt played another draw
against Malaysia in the XXI Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games pool match
played here at Hockey Club ground on Wednesday.
Things were really proved to be otherwise in their last
pool game against Malaysia, putting them both Pakistan and Malaysia away from
the semi-finals. A win at least will give 13th ranked Pakistan 5th
place, much better from that was 7th or 8th.
With this draw Pakistan and Malaysia were out of semi-final
contention at the hockey event at Gold Coast, Australia. But there was
something at stake when they came across in their last pool game.
The two sides ended equal on points. As per the Games
rules, the side with more wins finished ahead. Pakistan drew all the four
matches against Wales, India, England and now Malaysia while Malaysia had one
win.
Malaysia called the early shots. A steal in Pakistan half
left goal keeper Imran Butt with no option but to rush out of the 23 meter to
thwart the danger. It cost him yellow card. Replacement Mazhar Abbas was called
to make two outstanding saves in his five minute appearance on the pitch.
Pakistan managed to settle down and looked certainly the
better side during the rest of the first-half.
In the ninth minute, after some delightful shot passes, a
high ball reached Shafqat Rasool standing unmarked near the right post. The
veteran first timed it into the cage.
In the second quarter, both the two sides got a couple of
back to back penalty corners but to no avail.
Dilber had the best open play opportunity. He had goal at
his mercy but the try was poor. At the half-time Pakistan led the way with a
1-0.
Pakistan rushed out of the blocks after the change of the
sides and had a penalty corner in the first minute but the variation did not
click. After some back and forth play, Malaysia tested Imran Butt, who was well
positioned to stop.
In the 39th minute, Fitri Sari, after a magnificent
dribbling run, sent a parallel reverse ball in the path of Ramadan Rosli from
deep inside circle’s left. The latter dived to complete a memorable goal. First
minute of the fourth quarter saw Pakistan waste another penalty corner. Then Malaysia could not make out of two back
to back penalty corners.
With less than three minute left, Pakistani head coach
Oeltmans replaced the goal-keeper with an out- field player. There was some
high drama as Pakistan obtained two back to back penalty corners in the penultimate
minute but the Malaysian net minder Hairi Abdul Rahman anticipated well each
time and it ended 1-1. The move of head coach Oeltmans, at this occasion, was beyond
understanding.
For Pakistan Shafqat Rasool in the 9th minute
gave team a vital lead and for Malaysia Ramadan Rosli in the 39th minute
tied the tally. Pakistan will now play for the 7th and 8th
position on Friday.
In the boxing event Pakistan’s hope shattered down when
Syed Muhammad Asif lost in the quarter-final against Reecxe Mcfadden on points
5-0. There was a slid difference as Reecze Mcfadden of Scotland won all three
rounds with 10-9, 10-9 and 10-9 points, finishing the overall points tally with
29-27.
In the Men’s 52kg weight category Awais Ali Khan of Pakistan
will face Ato Plodzicki Faoagali of Samoa in the quarter-finals. So far
Australia with 52 gold medal, 39 silver and 42 bronze with a total of 133
medals leading the medal table, followed by England at second with 24 gold
medal, 30 silver and 21 bronze medal, recorded a total tally of medals at 75,
India is at no 3 position with 12 gold medal, 4 silver medal and 8 bronze
medal, New Zealand with 9 gold medal, 10 silver medals and 8 bronze, South
Afridi with 9 gold medal, 6 silver medals and as many bronze medals, Canada
with 8 gold medal, 21 silver medal and 15 bronze medals., Pakistan is slipped
to 29 position from 27 so far with two bronze medals.
Nigeria’s golden sweep of the Para Powerlifting surprised
many. It was a big win for Nigeria at the Carrara Sports and Leisure Centre on
Day-6, dominating the Para Powerlifting competition, sweeping all four gold
medals on offer.
The first session of the day saw a Paralympic and world
champion showdown in the men’s lightweight final with countrymen Paul Kehinde
and Roland Ezuruike battling against each other for first place.
It ended up being a surprise win by Ezuruike who upgraded
his Glasgow 2014 silver to gold, lifting 194kg to give him 224.3 points.
Kehinde finished on 219.9 having lifted 211kg, with
England’s Ali Jawad finishing third with a best lift of 161kg to give him 182.7
points.
The female lightweight competitors took to the bench next
for their final with another clash of two Nigerian’s, this time two
world-record holders. Esther Oyema held the world record for women’s Para
Powerlifting in the 50kg class and Lucy Ejike held the world record in the
women’s 61kg class.
Oyema ended up breaking her own world record with a solid
third lift of 131kg, giving the 35-year-old her third consecutive gold medal at
the Commonwealth Games with a total of 141.6 points.
Teammate Ejike claimed another silver medal for Nigeria
with only one successful attempt, finishing with 134.1 points and Olympian Zoe
Newson, of England, rounded out the podium with a best lift of 91kg at a body-weight
of just 41kg.