India holds Malaysia

KUALALUMPUR, AUG. 2. An opportunistic 63rd minute goal on the rebound by Daljit Dhillon enabled India to hold host Malaysia to a 2-2 draw in its opening match of the Sultan Azlan Shah hockey tournament here on Thursday.

Twice in deficit, the new look Indian team staged a fine come back to share points with their vastly superior rival. The teams were levelled 1-1 at half time.

In other matches, Australia downed Pakistan 5-3, while Sydney Olympic silver medal winner South Korea beat England 2-0.

For Malaysia, the goal scorers were Mohd. Madzali (11th) and Maninderjit (57th), while Dilip Tirkey (33rd) and Daljit Dhillon (63rd) scored for India.

In a lively fast paced match, Malaysia dominated the proceedings but could convert only two of the 11 penalty corners. India earned six penalty corners of which two resulted in goals.

Malaysia had a major share of the ball and it dominated the midfield. For the first eleven minutes, India was not able to comprehend the situation.

The host, with several experienced players in its ranks, forced three penalty corner in a space of 11 minutes and it was of the third penalty corner that Mohd. Madzli with a grasping drive beat goal keeper Devesh Chauhan

Malaysia should have consolidated its lead in the first session in which it had clear domination. The Indian attack spearheaded by skipper and veteran Olympian Mukesh Kumar definitely lacked punch.

The Indians were busy in defending their citadel as Malaysian attacked from all sides. The Malaysians, trained by experienced German coach Paul Lissek, made very incisive moves, which rattled the Indian defence. The host had its rival's defenders on the edge when it forced its first penalty corner in the 4th minute. Mohd. Madzli shot went into the cage but umpire overruled the goal pointing that ball was rolling when the shot was hit.

Indians lacked planning, out of desperation they engaged in solo efforts only to be foiled by the solid Malaysian defence. The former World champion tried to regroup and counter attack with Dilip Tirkey, Bimal Lakra, Daljit Dhillon and Deepak Thakur testing the rival defence, while Mukesh Kumar and Sabu Verkey were totally off colour.

Indians forced a penalty corner in the 15th minute but Tirkey failed to convert it. They had another chance in the 30th minute but that also went abegging but three minutes later Tirkey made no mistake in converting a penalty corner to draw parity. Tirkey's powerful shot beat goalkeeper Roslan Jamaluddin (1-1).

- UNI

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