Pakistan warded off early challenge from Malaysia to emerge 6-2 winners of the second semifinal of Men’s Junior Asia Cup hockey championship in Salalah late on Wednesday.
In the 7th-8th placement match on Thursday, hosts Oman beat Thailand 2-1 to finish seventh in the 10-team tournament.
Pool B toppers Malaysia started well and went ahead in the second quarter when Perabu Tangaraja struck from a penalty corner in the 21st minute.
At half-time, Malaysia led 1-0 at the Sultan Qaboos Youth Complex.
Pakistan regrouped well in the second half and Mohammad Khan found an equaliser for them from a penalty corner in the 42nd minute.
Abdul Rehman put Pakistan in the lead within two minutes with a stunning goal. However, Muhammad Danish Aiman restored parity for Malaysia in the next minute as scores read 2-2.
Abdul Shahid regained the lead for Pakistan at 3-2 in the 47th minute.
In the next four minutes, Abdul Rehman took the game away from Malaysia with a twin strike. First, the striker netted from a penalty corner in the 48th minute. His second strike in the 51st minute put Pakistan in a comfortable position at 5-2.
In the process, the 18-year-old also became the tournament top-scorer with nine goals from seven matches. Japan’s Kumpei Yasuda also netted nine goals from eight matches.
Arbaz Ahmad put the score at 6-2 when he netted from a penalty corner two minutes before the final whistle to set up an India-Pakistan final showdown in the tournament.
OMAN FINISH SEVENTH
Hosts Oman edged Thailand 2-1 to finish seventh in the Asian tournament.
Hudhaifa al Balushi put Oman in the lead in the 25th minute. Thailand came back in the second-half with Kritsana Phumee scoring the equaliser in the 40th minute.
The hosts kept their cool and Hussam Bait netted the winner from a penalty corner in the 54th minute.
In the 5th-6th position match, Japan thumped Bangladesh 5-1 to claim the fifth spot.
Tsubasa Tanaka hit a brace (6th, 12th minutes), while Taiga Shigeyama (8-pc), Ikumi Saeki (26) and Yuito Matsuzaki (55) scored one each for Japan.
The lone Bangladesh goal came from Mohammad Ali through a penalty corner in the 47th minute.
Uzbekistan beat Chinese Taipei 4-1 to finish ninth on Wednesday.
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