BHUBANESWAR: After the suspension to two players by the FIH hours before the final, a spirited Pakistan went down 2-0 to Germany in the Champions Trophy title-match on Sunday.

With midfielder Mohammad Touseeq and reserve goalkeeper Ali Amjad banned from the final after making obscene gestures during their 4-3 win over India in the semi-final on Saturday, goals by Christopher Wesley and Florian Fuchs undid Pakistan at the Kalinga Stadium.

Olympic champions Germany displayed superb precision play and snapped their five-year jinx in the elite eight-nation event having last won the Champions Trophy in 2007 edition in Kuala Lumpur.

Overall, it was Germany’s 10th Champions Trophy title.

Pakistan, on the other hand, bettered their bronze medal finish in the 2012 edition of the tournament in Melbourne by bagging silver here.

After a goalless first quarter Germany, cheered by an anti-Pakistan crowd, finally took the lead in the 18th minute when an unmarked Wesley send the ball home after receiving a pass from Jonas Monoll.

Pakistan tried hard for the equaliser but the German defence stood firm to deny their every move and continued to pressurise them with several counter-attacks.

Germany earned two penalty corners in the 47th and 52nd but Christopher Ruhr failed in both his attempts.

The closest Pakistan came to scoring was early in the fourth quarter when a loose ball from the left caught the Ger­mans on the wrong foot, but Muhammad Bhutta was unable to slot the ball in.

The penalty-corner conversion abilities of Pakistan captain Mohammad Imran and Mohammad Irfan were of no use as the team got a lone penalty-corner in the 56th.

But Germany successfully blocked that drag-flick and co-captain Moritz Furste gave an aerial pass long away to FIH Young Player of 2012 Fuchs, who drilled the ball in the post with a brilliant finish.

Furste, one of only two surviving members of the triumphant 2007 squad along with Tobias Hauke, said he was delighted at the progress of his young team.

“We came up with some exceptional performances over the last three games,” said Furste, who was named player of the tournament. “We enjoyed the atmosphere here. The crowd was obviously supporting us and we enjoyed that.

“It was wonderful playing with a young side here and I thought the young guns did a fine job. However, experience always counts and so Wesley scored the early goal and then Fuchs killed it off just before the end. This bodes well for the Olympics which is just two years away.”

Pakistan coach Shahnaz Sheikh said he was satisfied with the performance of his team, which was in line for a fourth title.

“Our aim was to make the semi-finals of the tournament,” Shahnaz said. “So playing the final was as good as winning the tournament. Pakistan hockey has not been at its best over the past few years so I think we should be happy at how we played here.

“I am proud of my boys. After a tough year both on and off the field, we did well to reach the final. This defeat will not only hurt us but the entire sub-continent because both India and Pakistan need to catch up with the Europeans quickly.”

Pakistan had failed to qualify for the World Cup in June that was won by Australia and were also unable to book a direct entry to the 2016 Olympics after losing to India in the Asian Games final in South Korea in October.

Earlier, five-time defending and 13-time overall champions Australia won 2-1 to dash India’s hopes of winning only their second bronze medal in the Champions Trophy.

“I am pleased, but not satisfied,” Australian coach Graham Reid said. “We played tighter and better as the tournament progressed. Considering this was a learning curve, we’ve achieved a lot.

“But obviously we missed not being in the final,” he added.

The Kookaburras were without veterans Liam de Young and Rob Hammond, who retired after the World Cup in June, and five-time world player of the year Jamie Dwyer and Mark Knowles, who were both injured.

Australia scored two field goals through skipper Eddie Ockenden (18th minute) and Matt Gohdes (52nd) to win a consolation bronze.

India’s lone goal was scored by young striker Lalit Upadhyay in the 42nd.

In the day’s other matches, the Netherlands took fifth place after beating Argentina 4-1 and England nudged ahead of Belgium 3-2 to finish seventh.

Published in Dawn December 15th , 2014