NEW DELHI, January 3: Punjab XI (Pakistan) asserted their superiority in no uncertain terms thrashing Northern Railway 4-0 in a one-sided final encounter to win the Lal Bahadur Shastri hockey title at the Shivaji Stadium here today.The Pakistanis -- with nine Olypians in the side had restrained themselves from going flat out in earlier matches to avoid injury. They did show restrain even today, but their spurts of controlled aggression knocked the stuffing out of the club side from India. Event though the visitors managed to pump in two goals in each session, they looked good for several more.
Most of the Pakistani attacks hinged around captain and inside-right Tahir Zaman playing as a withdrawn forward and the bearded, right half Mohammed Usman, who had an outstanding outing. With outside-left Baber Abdullah struggling to find his rhythm, the Pakistanis preferred to attack from the right, Usman moving up frequently to trouble the Indians. He made most of the fumbling of left half Navsher Singh and
defenders Manmeet Singh and Kuldeep Singh, who had poor first sessions. Navsher and Manmeet made amends after the breather, Navsher working tirelessly, but goal-keeper Ambuj Srivastave was found wanting.
Punjab XI drew first blood through a penalty corner when Danish Kaleem's cracking hit flew into the net off a defender's stick. Danish scored a similar goal in the second session as Ambuj failed to react in time to the Pakistani's stinger.
Tahir Zaman provided the other two in between. Zaman's first and Pakistan's second goal came off a penalty stroke, awarded by umpire Shakeel Qureishi after Navsher stick-checked Mohammed Khalid in front of the goal. The decision looked a bit harsh as the the Pakistani forward seemed to have lost his balance even as he went for the hit.
Tahir got his second goal when his sudden attempt from the top of the circle caught Ambuj napping. The ball crashed into Ambuj's pads and hit the right post before rolling into the goal.
With Rajiv Mishra and former national junor
team outside-left Ajinder Pal Singh in their ranks, Northern Railway was expected to stretch the Pakistani defence, but both were off colour.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
