LAHORE: Germany’s junior team edged out Pakistan 2-1 in the third match on Tuesday to take an unassailable 3-0 lead in the four-match series here at the National Hockey Stadium.

Top-ranked Germany won the first two matches 4-3 and 3-1 at the Manzoor-ul-Hassan Hockey Stadium, Lahore Cantt.

The third match, on a request of German junior team’s management, was shifted to the iconic National Hockey Stadium.

The visiting team’s management requested the Pakistan Hockey Federation that the junior team, whose elders played at the National Hockey Stadium during the 1990s, wanted to relish the feel of the historic arena which hosted the men’s 1990 World Cup.

Pakistan’s key players — captain Abdul Hanan Shahid and Hammad — were not playing due to injuries, still the hosts team gave tough resistance to the top-ranked opponents.

Germany drew the first blood in the 47th minute converting a penalty corner through an indirect try of Lukas Kossel. Four minutes later, they made it 2-0 when captain Ben Hasbach converted a penalty corner.

Not giving up, Pakistan kept fighting and in the process opened their account when Hamza Fayyaz scored a spectacular field goal after dodging a couple of defenders and the German goalkeeper.

The last match of the series will be played at the Naseer Bunda Stadium in Islamabad on Thursday.

Published in Dawn, March 12th, 2025