Pakistan looking for final win in World Cup hockey qualifiers

Lille (France), Nov 7

Pakistan are looking forward to an emphatic win in the World Cup hockey qualifiers final here Sunday after winning four of its league matches convincingly.

Coach Shahid Ali Khan told IANS here Friday that his boys were all charged up for the final and are high on confidence after crushing Japan 6-1 at the Lille Metropole Hockey Club to confirm a place in the final.

Pakistan also beat Italy (5-0), Russia (5-0) and hosts France (4-2) in its earlier matches in the six-nation tournament.

"We are here to win this tournament and qualify for the World Cup and now need one more win to do that," said Shahid.

"The boys are very, very confident ahead of the final and I'm sure they will give their best in it," he stressed.

Pakistan, record four-time World Champion, has to win the Lille event to make the cut for the 2010 World Cup to be played in New Delhi Feb 28-March 13.

Shahid said that his team has improved over the months and is now looking to lock horns with top sides of the world like defending world champions Germany, Australia, Holland and Spain.

"We are an improved team and I'm sure we will do well in India once we qualify for the World Cup," he said.

Last updated on Nov 7^th, 2009 at 17:52 pm IST--IANS

Possibly related news:

Other News Headlines

Tamil Nadu crush Punjab; Mumbai beat Himachal (Ranji Round Up)

New Delhi, Nov 20

Tamil Nadu crushed Punjab by an innings and 45 runs on the fourth and the last day of the Ranji Trophy Super League match at Amritsar Friday.

Meenal Thakur in quarterfinals of World Snooker

Hyderabad, Nov 20

National champion Meenal Thakur saw off a spirited challenge from her younger sister Anuja Chandra for a 4-3 decision and progressed to the quarter-finals in the women's section of the ONGC-IBSF World Snooker championship, here Friday.

Harinder Pal Sandhu in Challenger series squash final

Chennai, Nov 20

India's Harinder Pal Singh Sandhu raised his game to upset top seeded Andrew Wagih Shoukry of Egypt 11-3, 11-6, 11-7, to enter the final of the PSA Challenger Series squash tournament, here Friday.

Bhaichung injured, advised three-week rest

New Delhi, Nov 20

India football captain Bhaichung Bhutia has been advised three weeks' rest after he stretched calf-muscle at the national training camp at Margao in Goa.

No decision on hockey team's captaincy: Mattoo

New Delhi, Nov 20

Hockey India (HI) president Ashok Kumar Mattoo's assertion in Pune that Rajpal Singh was not the choice of selectors for captaincy is factually correct -- but an HI release clearly mentioned the striker as captain for the Champions Challenge tournament in Argentina.

Enter Your Name and Email below and Post your comment
Name	Email:
Comment:

Please login to use this service
Usermame :
Password :
Quick signup \| Forgot Password