Rizwan Ali scored all three goals in Pakistan’s 3-1 win over Egypt in their Hockey Men’s Junior World Cup group match held in India’s Bhubaneswar on Saturday.
According to a statement from the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF), the game got off to a quick start with both teams launching attacking at each other’s goalposts.
Drag-flicker Ali took advantage of penalty corners in the 19th, 32nd and 53rd minutes of the game while Awad Husein scored a field goal for Egypt in the 22nd minute.
“Pakistan juniors played better and attacked the Egyptian goal post several times,” the PHF noted while also praising Egypt’s goalkeeper Mahmoud Saleem.
Pakistan’s vice-captain Moin Shakeel was declared the man of the match.
Speaking after the match, Shakeel said the team followed their coach’s plan and capitalised on penalty corners.
The 16-nation World Cup event is being staged at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar from Nov 24 to Dec 5. Pakistan are placed in pool ‘D’ alongside Argentina, Egypt and Germany.
Pakistan had lost 5-2 to Germany in their first group match on November 24. They will play their last group match with Argentina at 4:30pm tomorrow.
Prior to the squad’s departure from Lahore to Sialkot to fly for India, head coach Danish Kaleem had said the boys were in high spirits to give their best.
“Despite the problems that emerged due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the boys have worked hard for this event,” the coach had said.
