Pakistan Play Another Draw Against Malaysia

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

GOLD COAST, Queensland (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 11th Apr, 2018 ) , 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.