Syria hammer miserable Pakistan 4-0

Penalty Kick

When it just couldn’t get any worse for Zavisa Milosavljevic’s Pakistan U22 in the AFC U22 Asian Cup qualifiers, Syria won 4-0 at King Fahd International Stadium in Riyadh. Saudi Arabia. The heavy defeat at the hands of dominant and merciless Syrians made Pakistan’s already hapless U22 campaign turn from bad to worse as the boys were thoroughly out-classed, out-performed, and out-shone the entire game.

As was the case with the 2-0 loss at hands of Kyrgyzstan, Syria pressed Pakistan hard from the start as they created a ridiculous number of chances in first half, only for goalkeeper Saqib Hanif to deny the Syrians each and every time. Pakistan’s midfield was non-existent and defence failed to keep shape as Syria’s short slick passing made Zavisa’s boys run around aimlessly on the pitch. Whenever Pakistan did get the ball, a clumsy long-ball or panicked clearance would gift the ball back to Syria almost immediately.

Syria then won a penalty after a foul by Saqib Hanif on Syrian striker that was quite similar to West German goalie Harald Schumacher’s challenge on French player Patrick Battison in 1982 World Cup. However, Syria failed to score as the penalty hit the cross bar and out. Moments later, some good play by striker Muhammad bin Younis made Muhammad Adil clean through on goal but his shot was horribly off-target as Pakistan’s poor finishing dilemma continued again and again.

Syria responded with a goal minutes later as make-shift defender Saddam Hussain, who had otherwise enjoyed a good tournament in defence, failed to mark the pacey Syrian captain Marek Mardakian and allowing him to score past a hapless Saqib. With the game approaching half-time, Syria won another penalty, this time Saddam being the culprit for a clumsy foul in the box. But Syria missed the penalty again as Saqib Hanif guessed right and saved the attempt from Marek Mardakian in style. 1-0 to Syria at half time.

The 2nd half saw Syria pile on the pressure as they created chances almost every minute and went 2-0 up in no time as substitute Hamid Mido (57′) scored immediately after coming on. Zavisa brought on under-fire skipper Kaleem Ullah for Zakir Lashari hoping to see him make amends for his poor performance in tournament. But he failed to impress as his poor decision making and needless attempts to dribble past as many as 3 Syrian defenders only made the Pakistan bench wince again and again.

Saqib Hanif’s save after save could not deny Syrians twice more as they scored twice more in last 25 minutes to make it 4-0 and add insult to injury with goals from Mahmoud Almawas (65′) and Salem (90+4′). Syria registered an astonishing 23 shots on target the entire game with Pakistan barely managing 2 at the other end.

The win made Syria confirm a place in the main round of the AFC U22 Asian Cup, as they joined host Saudi Arabia from Group B who had earlier thrashed Sri Lanka 7-0 the same day.

Pakistan now lie bottom of the group with just 1 point from 3 games, and a goal difference of -7 with the game against fellow eliminated side Palestine remaining on 3 July.

What had began as a promising event for Pakistan’s ‘next generation’ to make a name for themselves on the international stage, has only crashed and burned as the age old problems of poor finishing and poor coordination in both midfield and defence remain unsolved against more stronger opponents. All those impressive results in tours of Thailand, Bahrain, Palestine proved to be a false dawn as the very systemic and organisational defects of Pak football were exposed once again.

The cardinal sin of hurriedly losing the ball in panic was what something former coach Dave Burns once said 11 years ago that Pakistani players treated the ball as a ‘hot potato’. Over all, player performances remain mediocre, with only goalkeeper Saqib Hanif being worthy of praise for keeping Pakistan from further embarrassments in the tournament.

It would be harsh to lay the blame of the Serbian coach Zavisa Milsaveljevic, as his players seem to have forgotten all the hard efforts he put in and went back on rash instinct in the games against Kyrgyzstan and Syria. Truth be told, this team is simply not good enough as a unit and as individuals apart from the odd flash of sensible football.

With the result further putting a hammer blow on Pakistan’s morale, it is now important for the boys to bite the bullet and go all out against fellow strugglers Palestine in the final group game to salvage any bit of pride it can.

The road for progress in Pakistani football remains a long bleak road few understand, and fewer even care about.

Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
Saudi Arabia	4	4	0	0	13	0	+13	12
Syria	4	4	0	0	11	1	+10	12
Kyrgyzstan	4	1	1	2	2	2	0	4
Palestine	4	0	2	2	2	7	−5	2
Sri Lanka	4	0	2	2	1	12	−11	2
Pakistan	4	0	1	3	0	7	−7	1

AFC U-22 CHAMPIONSHIP 2013				QUALIFICATION
	30-06-2012 20:45 AST		King Fahd International Stadium, Riyadh, SAUDI ARABIA		200

	90 minutes		MUAYAD ALKHOULI
	very hot		40 C

Lineups

SYRIA

PAKISTAN

2	DF	HAJ HASHIM
6	DF	JENIAT
7	MF	ALKADDOUR	53
8	FW	YOSEF	78
9	FW	SALEM	90+4
15	DF	AL MIDANI
16	DF	ALEISSA
17	DF	MUAYAD ALKHOULI
18	MF	ALMBAYED
20	FW	MARDEK MARDKIAN (C)	44 56
22	GK	ALSHAKIR

1	GK	SAQIB HANIF	15
2	MF	FAISAL IQBAL (C)	45+2
6	MF	JUNAID QADIR
7	MF	BILAWAL-UR-REHMAN
14	FW	ZAKIR LASHARI	46
15	DF	NAVEED
17	DF	SADDAM HUSSAIN
18	MF	MOHSIN ALI
21	MF	ADIL	27
27	FW	MUHAMMAD	58
31	MF	DAHAR ABDUL UR REHMAN BAIG	86

Substitutes

1	GK	IBRAHIM ALMA
3	DF	MOUAIAD ALAJAAN
14	DF	ALJWAYED
19	MF	MAHMOUD ALMAWAS	65 53
23	FW	SABAKJI	78
25	GK	ALHAMWI
34	FW	MAHMOOD ALBAHER
38	DF	ALKADI
50	MF	HAMID MIDO	57 56

3	DF	MANZOOR AHMAD
8	MF	MAHMOOD KHAN	86
9	MF	SHER
10	MF	KALEEMULLAH	58
13	DF	AHSANULLAH
16	FW	RASHID ALI
20	DF	NOOR MUHAMMAD
22	GK	MUZAMMIL HUSSAIN
23	MF	IMRAN ALI KHAN	46
26	DF	AMIR SIDDIQUI
33	GK	TANVEER
44	FW	RIAZ AHMED