Hockey Olympic Qualifiers: Pakistan hold Netherlands to 4-4 draw in first fixture
Pakistan had been tactically astute and devastating with their penalty corners.
(APP) – World No. 17 Pakistan defied their position in the FIH World Ranking when they held World No. 3 Netherlands to 4-4 draw in their first encounter of the two-legged qualifier for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics at the Wagener Stadium in Amsterdam on Saturday.
According to details provided by International Hockey Federation (FIH), Pakistan got off a flying start when in the fifth minute a fizzing low penalty corner effort from Mubashar Ali rattled the Dutch back-board, giving them (Pakistan) an early advantage.
However, in the second quarter the hosts scored two back-to-back goals in little more than a minute – first on a penalty stroke hit from Mink van der Weerden and then a stroke from Bjorn Kellerman with Kellerman powering into the circle from the left and smashing a stunning backhand effort across the face of goal and just inside the right post.
Four minutes later, Pakistan got two quick penalty corners. Pakistan had been tactically astute and devastating with their penalty corners.
They produced a slick penalty corner routine that saw Ali Ghazanfar diving in at the right post to deflect home. At the half-time hooter the score was tied at 2-2.
Pakistan’s prowess from penalty corner situations in the match had been frightening. Two minutes into the third quarter they won another penalty corner and a low drag-flick from the top of the circle was touched home brilliantly at the left post by Green Shirts captain Muhammad Rizwan.
Pakistan went into the final 15 minutes with a 3-2 lead. However, in the 52nd minute the Dutch once again levelled the score when Robbert Kemperman netted a goal for them from a close range. In the 57th minute, Pakistan got two more penalty corners.
They scored their fourth penalty corner of the game to take a 4-3 lead, going into the final few minutes of the contest. It was again Ali Mubashar, who netted his second of the match with a superb drag-flick which crashed against the backboard. In the dying moments of the match the Netherlands won two penalty corners. Mink van der Weerden arrowed his penalty corner drag-flick inside the left post, equalizing the match 4-4.
The Green Shirts did themselves proud in the first fixture, but they would need to do that all again on Sunday in what will be now a ‘winner takes all’ contest.
