Pakistan reach FIH Nations Cup semis despite defeat from France

Pakistan Wednesday went down fighting against France 6-5 in their last match of the Pool A in the FIH Nations Cup currently underway in Poland.

Despite the loss, Pakistan make it to the semi-finals of the event after finishing second in the pool behind France over a superior goal difference from Malaysia.

Pakistan will now take on Poll A toppers New Zealand in the semi-final. It may be mentioned that Pakistan defeated New Zealand in the recently concluded Sultan Azlan Shah Cup where they finished as runners–up.

Pakistan again left it late to respond to the French onslaught as it has become the habit of the greenshirts to concede plenty of goals in the first two quarters.

France’s drag flicker Victor Charlet was in a red hot form as he converted four penalty corners into goals including the last-minute winner.

Pakistan conceded four goals in the first half courtesy to a brace from Charlet in the 7^th and 25^th minutes and field goals from Blaise Rogeau and Gaspard Baumgarten in the 14^th and 23^rd minutes.

Pakistan responded with a goal from Abubakar Mahmoud who converted a penalty stroke in the 35^th minute while Murataza Yaqood made it 2-4 with a penalty corner goal in the 29^th minute.

At the half stage, the score was 4-2 in France’s favour.

It was again France who opened the scoring in the third quarter as Charlet converted a penalty corner into a goal in the 39^th minute to make it 5-2 in France's favour. However, Pakistan were not in a mood to go down so easily as Rana Waheed Ashraf and Abdul Rahman scored field goals in the 46^th and 52^nd minutes and Hanan Shahid made it 5-5 through a penalty corner goal in the 56^th minute.

However, Charlet once again came to the French side’s rescue as he scored the winner in the 59^th minute to seal the fate of the match.