Pakistan will play their last league match against World Champions Australia at Riverbank Arena on Tuesday (August 7). This group A match will start at 14.45 hours (PST).
Pakistan has won five and Australia four in nine matches played between the two teams in Olympics. Pakistan has scored 16 and conceded 19 goals in these matches.
After losing four successive matches against Pakistan, Australia went to win their first match at Montreal in 1976. Australia beat Pakistan 2-1 in the semi final.
The Aussies defeated Pakistan 3-1 when two teams played last time at Beijing Olympics four years ago.
Group A is still wide open after Great Britain staged the best comeback of this Olympic hockey tournament to date, scoring three goals in a 19-minute span to recover from a three-goal deficit and draw current World Champion Australia, 3-3. James Tindall’s goal with 4:30 left in regulation capped the improbable comeback and threw the Group A standings back into chaos.
Australia and Great Britain now lead the hotly contested group with eight points, while Pakistan and Spain have seven points each. It means the two semi-final spots all come down to Tuesday’s preliminary round matches when Australia takes on Pakistan and Great Britain faces Spain.
Australia entered the tournament looking invincible with an extremely strong start and every recent title under the sun, but the preliminary round action has chipped away at the armor and now they find themselves in an unusual tight spot for the last game of the group.
Pakistan’s win against Australia will make sure that Pakistan qualifies for the semi final of the London Olympics 2012.
