Abbas’ late goal salvages draw for Pakistan

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Sydney: Pakistan scored in the last minute to salvage a draw with Malaysia on Saturday and keep themselves in contention to make the men's hockey Olympic semi-finals.

Short corner specialist Sohail Abbas knocked in the equaliser to force the 2-2 draw with 30 seconds left after Malaysia had gone ahead in the 63rd minute.

The result left Pakistan with six points in Group 'A', while Malaysia, with three points, have no chance of finishing in the top two and qualifying for the semi-finals. Pakistan's last game is against the Netherlands on Tuesday.

Abbas' goal was his sixth of the tournament. Pakistan dominated parts of the game, but Malaysian goal-keeper Ibrahim Nasihin kept his side in the hunt with a number of brilliant saves.

Malaysia's Ibrahim Suhaimi opened the scoring in the 21st minutes only to have Pakistan's Afir Bashir score three minutes later. Malaysia took the lead again in the second half on another goal by Suhaimi and looked to have won their first game against Pakistan in a major competition since 1986 until Abbas' late goal.

Malaysian coach Stephen van Huizen singled out Nasihin for praise."Sohail Abbas is one of the best flickers in the world, but Nasihin was able to neutralise him," van Huizen said.



(c) Reuters Limited.