Pakistan opens hockey WC campaign today

LAHORE: Pakistan will open their campaign at the 2018 Hockey World Cup in Bhubaneswar with the match against Germany on Saturday.Pakistan, four time winners, are currently 13th ranked while the Germans, the two time winners, are placed 6th in the FIH rankings.

The two sides have met eight times at the World Cup. In 1982 they came across twice, pool game and final. Pakistan have won five (including the penalty shootout win at 1994 semifinal). Germany have been victorious the other three times.

1973 (3rd place playoff) Germany beat Pakistan 1-0

1975 (semifinal) Pakistan beat Germany 5-1

1978 (semifinal) Pakistan beat Germany 1-0

1982 (pool) Pakistan beat Germany 5-3

1982 (Final) Pakistan beat Germany 3-1

1990 (pool) Germany beat Pakistan 1-0

1994 (semifinal) Pakistan beat Germany on penalty shootout after 1-1

2002 (pool) Germany beat Pakistan 3-2

After winning four of the first eight World Cups, Pakistan’s fortunes have nosedived-failed to reach semifinal since 1994.

On the contrary, Germany have been a consistent performer. After finishing 5th in the inaugural World Cup, they made at least to the semis in each of the next 11 editions, before missing out during the last World Cup in 2014 when they ended sixth.

Germans also didn’t do well at the last Euro Hockey Nations Championships in 2017 where they were fourth. It was their first out of podium finish in the biennial event since 2007. In fact, Germany had won two and ended runners up the other two times in the intervening four EuroHockey Nations Championships.