LAHORE - A brace apiece by both Naveed Alam and Ali Rizwan helped Pakistan junior hockey team defeat Australian club Tasmania 5-1 in the play-offs of the Australian U18 Hockey Championship in Hobart Wednesday.

Pakistan, once again, were quick off the blocks, winning two penalty corners in third and fourth minutes of the game but failed to convert either chance into goals.

The opening goal arrived in the 18th minute when Alam, helped by his teammates, launched an attack and was able to beat the Tasmanian defence to put his team up 1-0. He struck again six minutes later as Pakistan entered the half-time break with a two-nothing lead over their hosts.

The break did its job as both sides had a visibly renewed zeal following the restart, with the Pakistan Colts winning penalty corners in 36th and 47th minutes but once again failing to convert.

Tasmania were almost as profligate from the penalty corner as their 40th minute effort went in vain. They finally managed to open their account in the 51st minute of the game, thanks to Samuel McCulloch’s strike which reduced their arrears in half. It were all Pakistan from that point on as Ali Rizwan atoned for his earlier wastefulness by converting back-to-back penalty corners in the 59th and 64th minutes.

Two minutes after Rizwan’s second, Ahmed Nadeem got on the scoresheet as well and sealed the match 5-1 in Pakistan’s favour.