After hammering Sri Lanka 14-0 in the first game, Pakistan’s hockey team outclassed the Chinese eleven by 2-0 on Sunday, moving one step closer towards claiming gold.
In upcoming games, Pakistan will be facing a stiff challenge from hosts South Korea, arch-rival India, and Malaysia in their bid to retain the title they won at Guangzhou (China) four years ago.
Pakistan will be playing their showpiece encounter against India on September 25 which is expected to decide the fate of the Group “A” standing.
Pakistan is drawn in pool “A” along with India, China, Sri Lanka and Oman while pool “B” consists of Bangladesh, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia and Singapore.
The Green shirts will play Oman in their last pool game on September 27. Forty two nations are participating in the 17th edition of Asia’s biggest sports battle for supremacy.
PAKISTAN LOSE VOLLEYBALL AND FOOTBALL MATCHES:
Pakistan lost their matches in volleyball and football here at the 17th Asian Games. Pakistan lost their opening game of volleyball against Kuwait 3-0. The sore-line was 25-22, 25-21 and 25-16. The country’s football team lost their opening match to North Korea 2-0. The football competition at the Asian Games began before the opening ceremony so that it can finish before the Games close on October 4. Goals either side of half-time by So Kyong-Jin and Jong Ing-Wan were enough to undo 10-man Pakistan in the Group F match at the Hwaseong Sports Complex. Pakistan and China will clash in the Group F finale on Monday (tomorrow) to determine who will join North Korea in the knockout round.
Cricket, judo and kabaddi: Pakistan’s women’s cricket team, meanwhile, have a direct entry to the quarter-finals of the competition. Pakistan also have good medal chances in judo, wushu, weightlifting and wrestling while they will also compete in the badminton, baseball, basketball, boxing, rugby, shooting, taekwondo, table tennis, tennis and volleyball.
Pakistan’s hopes in judo rest with Japanese-raised Shah Hussain who will continue his unusual quest for glory when he tries to add the Asian Games gold to Commonwealth Games silver. Tokyo-based Hussain won the 100kg silver in Glasgow and is the son of Hussain Shah, Pakistan’s first Olympic boxing champion at Seoul in 1988. Pakistan’s kabaddi team, meanwhile, will be looking to improve on their bronze from the previous edition of the Games while the rugby team will arrive here on September 28 with the side placed in Pool B alongside Hong Kong, China and Philippines.