India beat Pakistan 5-3 in a game far messier than the scoreline suggests

For a while, it looked as if India might make a mockery of the occasion. Then, Pakistan made a mess of the script.

India were 3-0 up. Then 4-1. Twice they appeared to have done enough to drain the life out of Pakistan’s World Cup hopes. Twice Pakistan came roaring back. By the time the final whistle went at the Wagener Stadium, India had won 5-3 and booked their place in the next phase. But the eight-goal scoreline concealed a much tighter, much messier contest.

Pakistan had arrived with their World Cup survival on the line. India needed only a draw to progress. It was Pakistan, though, who succeeded in dictating the mood of the match.
India began like a team that knew exactly what it wanted. A good measure of their comfort on the field was how easily they switched to the aerial game. Against England, India had to wait till the fourth quarter for Harmanpreet Singh to launch his first overhead pass.

On Wednesday, they had done it four times in the first five minutes, a sign of how well, and how deep, India had positioned themselves into the Pakistan half, cutting their midfield out of the game entirely. India moved the ball with purpose, attacked the circle and opened up a 3-0 lead, with a brace from Harmanpreet (5′, 21′) and a field goal from Abhishek Nain (11′). Pakistan looked close to being overwhelmed.