There were no winners in the opening day of the World League Semifinals in Johor Baru as England and South Africa also ended their match with a 3-3 draw.
Germany and Argentina drew 1-1 in the opening match, while the all Asian affair saw South Korea and Japan sharing the spoils with 3-3 draw.
The third match offered eight goals as Malaysia were held by Pakistan 4-4.
South Africa made a perfect start to their World League Semifinals campaign when Julian Hykes picked up a brace in the 6th and 9th minute respectively.
The goals rocked the second highest ranked team in the tournament, but they were soon back on steady grounds and begun to show some positive attacking play.
England did manage to reduce the deficit, but it was courtesy of an own goal which came in the 13th minute from the stick of Rhett Halkett.
Both teams had their own share of possession but failed to make the best of their chance as the score stood at half time.
The second half was off to the same tempo as it left of in the first with both side looking impressive on the ball but continued to struggle in finding the breakthrough.
However, the world No 4 side found the telling equalizer in the 56th minute when Mark Gleghorne set up Ben Arnold for the simplest of tap in.
The final five minutes saw South Africa restoring their lead in the 65 minute through Jonathan Robinson, but the lead was cancel out once again when Richard Smith found the net in the 70th to share the spoils.
Saturday, June 29, 2013
Malaysia's Faizal Saari in action against Pakistan..
Individual play the cause..
PAUL REVINGTON
"I left a bunch of frustrated players in the dressing room just now, but I believe they will overcome the disappointment of this match and play much better against South Africa tomorrow (today)," was Malaysian coach Paul Revington's assessment of the match.
The main problem after taking a 3-0 lead was that individual play crept into the match.
"Yes, we played as a team for 35 minutes, but individual play crept in into the second half and that was pleasing to the gallery, but not to the scoreline.
"That is why we are ranked 13th in the world, and when I can make them play as a team for 70 minutes, we will surely move up the rankings," said Revington.
Pakistan coach Akhtar Rasool was pleased as punch: "Malaysia were lucky, as they scored early goals as by right, we had many more chances to seal the match but failed to win today (yesterday)."
"I left a bunch of frustrated players in the dressing room just now, but I believe they will overcome the disappointment of this match and play much better against South Africa tomorrow (today)," was Malaysian coach Paul Revington's assessment of the match.
The main problem after taking a 3-0 lead was that individual play crept into the match.
"Yes, we played as a team for 35 minutes, but individual play crept in into the second half and that was pleasing to the gallery, but not to the scoreline.
"That is why we are ranked 13th in the world, and when I can make them play as a team for 70 minutes, we will surely move up the rankings," said Revington.
Pakistan coach Akhtar Rasool was pleased as punch: "Malaysia were lucky, as they scored early goals as by right, we had many more chances to seal the match but failed to win today (yesterday)."
Malaysia 4 Pakistan 4
MALAYSIA crumbled after taking a 3-0 lead to draw 4-4 with Pakistan in the opening encounter of the World League Semi-finals at the Taman Daya Stadium in Johor Baru yesterday.
Draw was also the order of the day, as World No 1 Germany were held 1-1 by Argentina, while Japan drew 3-3 with South Korea.
For Malaysia, three early penalty corner goals were not good enough for three points, as Pakistan clawed back into the match.
Faizal Saari, who seems to play his best matches at the Taman Daya Stadium, won the first penalty corner for Malaysia in the third minute and Razie Rahim made it count.
And in the seventh minute, Faizal again won a penalty corner and Razie's sizzling flick beat goalkeeper Imran Shah yet again.
And in the 18th minute, off Malaysia's fourth penalty corner, Razie's flick was stopped by Imran, but pusher Marhan Jalil slammed it in back for a 3-0 lead.
Pakistan pulled one back in the 26th minute off their second penalty corner when Abdul Haseem Khan made it count.
And just after the restart Tengku Ahmad Tajuddin, who was in the shadows most of the first half, scored a super field goal in the 38th minute to make it 4-1.
However, Pakistan kept winning penalty corners and in the 42nd minute, Muhammad Tausiq finally perfected it and scored the second goal for his team.
And Pakistan kept pushing and were finally rewarded in the 56th minute with a penalty stroke which Shakeel Abbasi cooly tucked in past goalkeeper S. Kumar to narrow the gap to 3-4.
And a backstick tackle by Norhizzat Sumantri gave Pakistan their ninth penalty corner and Muhammad Imran made it 4-4 in the 61 minute.
GROUP A
P W D L F A Pts
JAPAN 1 0 1 0 3 3 1
S KOREA 1 0 1 0 3 3 1
GERMANY 1 0 1 0 1 1 1
ARGENTINA 1 0 1 0 1 1 1
GROUP B
P W D L F A Pts
MALAYSIA 1 0 1 0 4 4 1
PAKISTAN 1 0 1 0 4 4 1
ENGLAND 1 0 1 0 3 3 1
S AFRICA 1 0 1 0 3 3 1
RESULTS: Group A -- Germany 1 Argentina 1, South Korea 3 Japan 3.
Group B: Pakistan 4 Malaysia 4, England 3 South Africa 3.
TODAY: Group A: Argentina v Japan (3pm), Korea v Germany (5pm).
Group B: Pakistan v England (7pm), South Africa v Malaysia (9pm).
Draw was also the order of the day, as World No 1 Germany were held 1-1 by Argentina, while Japan drew 3-3 with South Korea.
For Malaysia, three early penalty corner goals were not good enough for three points, as Pakistan clawed back into the match.
Faizal Saari, who seems to play his best matches at the Taman Daya Stadium, won the first penalty corner for Malaysia in the third minute and Razie Rahim made it count.
And in the seventh minute, Faizal again won a penalty corner and Razie's sizzling flick beat goalkeeper Imran Shah yet again.
And in the 18th minute, off Malaysia's fourth penalty corner, Razie's flick was stopped by Imran, but pusher Marhan Jalil slammed it in back for a 3-0 lead.
Pakistan pulled one back in the 26th minute off their second penalty corner when Abdul Haseem Khan made it count.
And just after the restart Tengku Ahmad Tajuddin, who was in the shadows most of the first half, scored a super field goal in the 38th minute to make it 4-1.
However, Pakistan kept winning penalty corners and in the 42nd minute, Muhammad Tausiq finally perfected it and scored the second goal for his team.
And Pakistan kept pushing and were finally rewarded in the 56th minute with a penalty stroke which Shakeel Abbasi cooly tucked in past goalkeeper S. Kumar to narrow the gap to 3-4.
And a backstick tackle by Norhizzat Sumantri gave Pakistan their ninth penalty corner and Muhammad Imran made it 4-4 in the 61 minute.
GROUP A
P W D L F A Pts
JAPAN 1 0 1 0 3 3 1
S KOREA 1 0 1 0 3 3 1
GERMANY 1 0 1 0 1 1 1
ARGENTINA 1 0 1 0 1 1 1
GROUP B
P W D L F A Pts
MALAYSIA 1 0 1 0 4 4 1
PAKISTAN 1 0 1 0 4 4 1
ENGLAND 1 0 1 0 3 3 1
S AFRICA 1 0 1 0 3 3 1
RESULTS: Group A -- Germany 1 Argentina 1, South Korea 3 Japan 3.
Group B: Pakistan 4 Malaysia 4, England 3 South Africa 3.
TODAY: Group A: Argentina v Japan (3pm), Korea v Germany (5pm).
Group B: Pakistan v England (7pm), South Africa v Malaysia (9pm).
Japan 3 Korea 3
JAPAN came back from being 0-3 down to hold South Korea 3-3 in the World League semi-finals at Johor Baru.
Japan coach Kang Keong Wook was surprised with the comeback: "Im surprised, maybe my players wanted to show that they are no push-overs and played a very good match in the second half."
Kang, a Korean, has helped his country win silver medal in the Sydney 2000 Olympics.
Korean coach Shin Seok Kyo attributed the yo-yo performance to overconfidence.
"Halftime 3-0, and then we became overconfident and now will have to win against tougher opponents Germany and Argentina," said Shin.
Korea: Kim Seong Kyu (15th), Lee Nam Young (24th), Kang Moon Kweon (26th).
Japan: Kawakimi Kei (43rd), Tachibana Toshiro (57th), Yoshihara Heita (61st)
Japan coach Kang Keong Wook was surprised with the comeback: "Im surprised, maybe my players wanted to show that they are no push-overs and played a very good match in the second half."
Kang, a Korean, has helped his country win silver medal in the Sydney 2000 Olympics.
Korean coach Shin Seok Kyo attributed the yo-yo performance to overconfidence.
"Halftime 3-0, and then we became overconfident and now will have to win against tougher opponents Germany and Argentina," said Shin.
Korea: Kim Seong Kyu (15th), Lee Nam Young (24th), Kang Moon Kweon (26th).
Japan: Kawakimi Kei (43rd), Tachibana Toshiro (57th), Yoshihara Heita (61st)
Argies hold Germany 1-1..
World No 1 Germany were shocked 1-1 by Argentina in the opening World League Semi-finals match in Johor Baru.
The Germans scored off a Christopher Zeller penalty corner in the fifth minute, and Argentina replied also with a penalty corner in the 61st minute off a Gonzalo Peillat low drive.
German coach Markus Weise said it was not easy playing under sauna conditions (3pm start) but his Argentina counterpart Carlos Retegui begged to differ.
"I played my first game here in Malaysian in the Junior World Cup (1982) and ever since have loved the Malaysian weather. If we had played this tournament in Germany, wouldn't teams complain about the cold?," questioned Retegui.....
The Argies coach was elated, as it is not easy to hold Olympic champions to a draw, and they are now looking forward to a super run in Johor Baru.
The Germans scored off a Christopher Zeller penalty corner in the fifth minute, and Argentina replied also with a penalty corner in the 61st minute off a Gonzalo Peillat low drive.
German coach Markus Weise said it was not easy playing under sauna conditions (3pm start) but his Argentina counterpart Carlos Retegui begged to differ.
"I played my first game here in Malaysian in the Junior World Cup (1982) and ever since have loved the Malaysian weather. If we had played this tournament in Germany, wouldn't teams complain about the cold?," questioned Retegui.....
The Argies coach was elated, as it is not easy to hold Olympic champions to a draw, and they are now looking forward to a super run in Johor Baru.
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