South Korea started its Asian Champions Trophy on a winning note with a 2-1 victory over Japan here at the Mayor Radhakrishnan Stadium on Thursday. It was a similar story for the Japanese from the World Cup this year when it took an early lead before the Koreans overturned the deficit to win the game.
A handful of South Korean expats among the half-filled stands had an evening to remember as South Korea, which lost the 2007 Asia Cup final at the same venue, marked the return of international hockey to the city by getting the three points.
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It was Japan which started sharply in the first half. The Samurai Japan had forays on either flank through counterattacks and managed to bypass South Korea’s press by playing the ball out calmly out of tight spaces. They also defended in numbers and made things difficult for South Korea to penetrate their circle to have shots at goal.
Every time the Koreans got the ball to the edge of the 30-yard circle, they were faced with a number of blue shirts in their way. Japan cut out the passes into the circle and jumped on the counter.
Japan went ahead in the sixth minute when Ryoma Ooka profited by finding himself unmarked near the Korean goal and got the slightest of touches from a Ryosei Kato shot from the edge of the circle to score past Kim Jaehyeon.
While Korea had the possession, it couldn’t convert the pressure into shots at goal with Japan snapping at its attackers inside the goal. Japan ‘keeper Takashi Yoshikawa was tested in the second quarter with a redirected strike from distance but Korea found its angle right the next time around when Jonghyun Jang’s shot from outside the circle was deflected into the near post by the stick of Cheoleon Park.
Early in the second half, South Korea went ahead after Jung Hoo Kim passed the ball into the net after receiving a pass from the right. Korea surged ahead on the counter not allowing Japan to get its defenders back in time allowing Kim to get ahead of his marker and sound the board.
It was then Korea’s turn to close out the spaces and attack on the break, forcing Japan to take the initiative on the ball. Japan came close to equalising in the fourth quarter but Korea’s Jaehyeon close down the gap and thwarted a chance from close range.
RESULT: South Korea (Cheoleon Park 26’, Jung Hoo kim 35’) 2-1 Japan (Ryoma Ooka 6’)
Malaysia thrashes Pakistan 3-1
Ashari Firhan of Malaysia celebrating with teamates after he scoreing a goal against Pakistan during the Hero Asian Champions Trophy at the Mayor Radhakrishnan Stadium in Chennai on Thursday. | Photo Credit: VEDHAN M/The Hindu
An efficient Malaysian side dismantled a young Pakistan 3-1 in their opening Asian Champions Trophy encounter here at the Mayor Radhakrishnan Stadium on Thursday. Pakistan finished the game strongly but was undone by mistakes as Malaysia’s Faizal Saari thrilled spectators with three assists in the win.
Malaysia took the onus to set the tempo on the ball while Pakistan looked to cut out Malaysian passes in its own half and catch out their defense up the pitch. Muhammed Khan couldn’t find the placement with his penalty corners with Hafizuddin Othman making several big saves through the game. Khan had a forgettable game with no goals to show from his strikes from penalty corners.
Malaysian attackers Faizal Saari, Fitri Saari, Firhan Ashari, Abdu Muhajir and Azrai Aizad were causing plenty of trouble to the Pakistan defence on the turnover. Faizal had a shot saved, Aizad’s tomahawk effort fizzed wide and the diminutive Abdu Muhajir jinked past his markers into the circle.
With three minutes to go at the end of the second quarter, the one-two combination of Faizal and Ashari stuck twice to give Malaysia a deserved 2-0 lead at the break. Faizal was found in space and the midfielder played the pass between the legs of Aqeel Ahmad to find Ashari, who rounded the ‘keeper to sound the board. Immediately after the restart, Pakistan lost the ball near the halfway line and Faizal danced his way past the Pakistani defenders to play in an unmarked Ashari, who had the simple task of placing it past Akmal Hussain.
In the start of the second half, Pakistan had its moments when it entered the Malaysian circle a couple of times but squandered them with its decision-making. Pakistan’s woes were compounded when Arshad Liaqat hobbled off with an injury. Khan had four successive penalty corners late in the third quarter but the Malaysian defenders closed him down each time.
Malaysia scored the third against the run of play when Rahim found Faizal down the right channel, who with his close control and dribbling skills ran half the length of the pitch and into the circle before setting up an easy finish for Shello Silverius. Silverius, too, went down with an injury later.
Hafizuddin remained alert late in the second half with a string of big saves as Malaysia breathed a sigh of relief. Firstly, he got a foot to Abdul Shahid’s tomahawk before he saved a penalty stroke off Abdul Rana and followed it with a sprawling jump to keep out Abdul Rehman’s close-range effort. But Rehman would get his goal after all with five minutes to go with a finish from the left.
RESULT: Malaysia 3 (Firhan Ashari 27’ 28’, Shello Silverius 44’) bt Pakistan 1 (Abdul Rehman 55’)
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