IN a column I had written a couple of months ago I had voiced the opinion that a top-four finish for Pakistan reflects the correct standing of the national team in world hockey, with Australia, Germany and Holland being the other three. Though Pakistan is a distant fourth, for there is a considerable gap in the quality of play exhibited by the other three teams, it is fourth all the same. By that token, Pakistan’s fifth position in the recently concluded World Cup was below par, the only redeeming factor being the team’s ability to avoid disqualification from the next edition of the prestigious Champions Trophy. So it was a below-par finish that could have been even worse, and, finally, the fifth position came as a relief. Simply put, it was bad, but not too bad. Specially so, because Pakistan was a part of the so-called Pool of Death which had teams like Germany, Holland, Spain and Argentina.
Pakistan aside, the tournament really picked up momentum in the knock-out phase, which is only expected in all such tournaments. While the final was a memorable match between the Germans and the Australians, it was Australia’s dramatic semi-final 4-1 victory over the Dutch that would go down as the match of the tournament in ways more than one.
The Australians wee able to break a 12-year semifinal jinx and gained sweet revenge over the Dutch to reach their first World Cup final in 16 years. The Aussies had been on the losing end of the previous two World Cup semifinals against the Netherlands as well as the last two Olympic semifinals. But on that fateful day in Kuala Lumpur, the boys from Down Under were in devastating form, storming to a four goal lead before eventually running out 4-1 winners over a shell-shocked Dutch side.
The tone was set early as Australia took control of the midfield to cut off attacks by the Netherlands and at the same time launch fast and furious raids down either flanks inside the Dutch half. By using six players in the midfield, the Australians succeeded in choking off the Dutch raids.
Two other factors contributed to such a lopsided score. Dutch keeper Guus Vogels had an off day and should have saved at least two of the Aussie goals. More importantly, the Netherlands earned 13 penalty corners in the match, including eight in the second half. Amazingly, neither Bram Lomans, Taeke Taekema or other variations they attempted found the mark until very late in the match when the result was a foregone conclusion.
In contrast, the Aussies had two chances in the first half and made both count. The boys from Down Under were simply awesome, consistently running at full pace at the Dutch backline and spreading panic whenever they had the ball.
It was, indeed, a sweet revenge over Holland, but could have been sweeter had they been able to overcome the German challenge in the final. Prior to that final, Australia and Germany had appeared in one final each — the Aussies lifting the trophy in London, 1986, and the Germans losing to Pakistan in Bombay, 1982.
Now that I am back in Karachi, I will be in a better position to voice my opinion on the overall Pakistan campaign. In doing so, I will have the dual advantage of time lapse between the actual happening and analysis, as that of hindsight. I look forward to doing so in the weeks ahead. Stay tuned!
IN a column I had written a couple of months ago I had voiced the opinion that a top-four finish for Pakistan reflects the correct standing of the national team in world hockey, with Australia, Germany and Holland being the other three. Though Pakistan is a distant fourth, for there is a considerable gap in the quality of play exhibited by the other three teams, it is fourth all the same. By that token, Pakistan’s fifth position in the recently concluded World Cup was below par, the only redeeming factor being the team’s ability to avoid disqualification from the next edition of the prestigious Champions Trophy. So it was a below-par finish that could have been even worse, and, finally, the fifth position came as a relief. Simply put, it was bad, but not too bad. Specially so, because Pakistan was a part of the so-called Pool of Death which had teams like Germany, Holland, Spain and Argentina.
