Pak rout Hong Kong 10-1 in hockey

Doha, Dec 6 (UNI) Former World and Asian Games Champions Pakistan gave a lesson to Hong Kong with a 10-1 drubbing in Pool A match of the Asian Games hockey competition at the Al-Rayyan stadium here today.

It was a big relief for Pakistan to notch up a win with a big margin after their lacklustre show against Malaysia against whom they managed a 1-1 draw.

Muhammad Imran stuck a hat-trick as Pakistan did much action in the first session chalking up a firm 8-0 lead.

Shakeel Abbasi led the side in the absence of injured captain Rehan Butt.

The new-look Pakistan team, having six newcomers in the ranks, had a sweeping start, hammering away their first four goals inside six minutes which was enough to dump Hong Kong who are learning modern day hockey and are without any international ranking at the moment.

Tariq Aziz drew the first blood in the fourth minute off a short corner before Muhammad Zuabir struck twice in the seventh and ninth minutes. Muhammad Waqas contributed a field goal in the eighth minute.

Pakistan had no difficulty in their midfield to manoeuvre against the minnows.

Imran converted a short corner in the 25th minute followed by one field goal each from Waqas, Shakeel Abbasi and Syed Imran Wasri in the 26th, 27th and 34th minutes to end the first session on a rousing note.

Hong Kong, having the services of some expatriates, got their lone goal through Arif Ali from a short corner four minutes before the break.

But, Pakistan's second half performance did not match with their earlier show and they seemed satisfied with their lead and collected just two more goals from Imran who converted two successive penalty corners to complete a hat-trick.

''It was a fine show on the part of my team and I am happy on their success,'' said team coach and manager Shahnaz Sheikh after the match.

''I told the players to play an absorbing first half to get maximum number of goals and then I advised them to play the second session with not much aggression and force to avoid injuries to key players as we are without our regular captain who is nursing a slightly fractured finger in his hand,'' he added.

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