India thrash Pakistan in HWL classification tie

India put up a quality display to thrash arch-rivals Pakistan 6-1 in a fifth-eighth classification match of the Hockey World League Semi-Final here on Saturday.

Ramandeep Singh (eighth and 28th minutes), Talwinder Singh (25th), Mandeep Singh (27th, 59th) and Harmanpreet Singh (36th) found the back of the net for India.

For Pakistan, Ajaz Ahmad pulled one back in the 41st minute.

India will take on Canada for the fifth-sixth position classification tie on Sunday. This was the second time in this tournament that India has outclassed Pakistan by a huge margin.

India had recorded their biggest win over Pakistan on June 18 when they thrashed their arch-rivals 7-1 in a pool match.

India had crashed out of the race for the podium after suffering a 2-3 loss to Malaysia in the quarter-finals on Thursday and the second thumping win over Pakistan in less than a week will help to ease some of that pain.

Ramandeep Singh opened the scoring for India to give the side an early lead in the eighth minute. The goal came as a result of poor defending by Pakistan. This was the only goal in the first quarter.

The second quarter was the best period in the game for the Indians. They netted three quick goals in succession with their superb combination and long passes from the flanks putting pressure on the Pakistan defence.

The error prone Pakistan defenders also did not exactly cover themselves in glory which helped India's cause.

Talwinder Singh scored the second goal for India in the 25th minute. Pardeep Mor sent a hammering drive to the goalmouth with Talwinder making the final touch at the near post.

The Pakistan defenders were guilty of slightly loose marking in the penalty area which allowed too much space for Mor to get that pass in and for Talwinder to get a touch.

The green brigade failed to mark their arch-rivals time and again. As a result Mandeep Singh scored the third goal to put India in full control.

The third and fourth goals from India came in quick succession with Mandeep Singh scoring in the 27th minute.

Mandeep used the smallest of angles as he moved down the left side. He probably tried to play a fellow blue shirt but Pakistan's Amjad got a touch that deflected the ball into the goal.

Ramandeep scored in the 28th minute to make it 4-0 for India. S.V. Sunil passed the ball across the face of the goal and Ramandeep Singh dived to deflect the ball into the goal.

Harmanpreet Singh made it 5-0 for India off a low shot from a penalty corner in the 36th minute.

Mandeep Singh scored the sixth and final goal for India, putting it straight in the back off the net with a swift run past Pakistan's defenders in the 59th minute.

Pakistan pulled one back in the 41st minute after some miscommunication in the Indian penalty area.

Pakistan caught India on the counter and Ajaz Ahmed exploited some lackadaisical defending to score.

--IANS

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