Guangdong Beat Pakistan Army on Shoot-Out After 1-1 Draw in Islamabad
A draw, then a shoot-out, then the visitors took it. Pakistan Army will feel they let this one go.
The second match of the Hockey Test Matches Series finished 1-1 at the Naseer Bunda Hockey Stadium in Islamabad on Wednesday, and Guangdong won the shoot-out 4-2 to take the day. One honesty note before anything else: Guangdong are a Chinese provincial side, not China’s national team — this is a friendly tour series, and it should be read that way.
The Chinese side scored first. Chen Nanzhen converted a penalty stroke in the 26th minute to put Guangdong ahead, and for a while the Army side were chasing the game on their own turf. The equaliser came eight minutes later, Pakistan Army’s No. 23 scoring from a penalty corner in the 34th minute to make it 1-1.
Neither side could find a winner from there, and in the shoot-out Guangdong were the cooler team, winning it 4-2.
PHF president Mohiuddin Ahmad Wani was among those at the stadium, along with Colonel Nabeel, the Pakistan Army sports deputy director, for a series the federation is running while the Chinese provincial side tours the country through the end of the month.
For our money, a shoot-out loss at home isn’t a disaster for an Army side in a friendly series. But it’s another reminder of the gap Pakistan hockey keeps talking about closing. The tour moves on to Lahore next, where Pakistan Customs host Guangdong on 23 October, before the Development Squad game in Narowal on the 24th. Every score lands in our Live Centre.
