Greenshirts meet Belgium in Hockey World Cup today: Pakistan performance below par so far

ISLAMABAD: The D-day has arrived for longstanding Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) officials’ claims that all their efforts, investment and hiring and firing are aimed at World Cup 2018 performance.

The moment is finally there as Pakistan are set to play Belgium Tuesday in the third of the pre-quarterfinals. Regardless of winless streak so far in the mega event, a victory against Belgium will definitely usher well for Pakistan hockey. Though even making it to the quarter-finals of the World Cup is no achievement for the four times world champions, at least the victory against Belgium and surge into the semi-finals would make every hockey fan believe that the PHF officials were sincere in their claims and millions and millions of rupees they have spent during the last three years was for hockey promotion alone and not for seeking any personal gains.

With no victory to their credit, Pakistan performance has been below par in the World Cup so far, qualifying for the pre-quarters on goal difference was nothing less than a stroke of luck for a country that had ruled the world of hockey for years and years. The issue was not which team (Pakistan or Malaysia) had won how many games, the matter was resolved as which team conceded less goals against Holland. For Malaysia conceding seven goals in Pool D first match against Holland was nothing less than a nightmare. Though Pakistan’s 1-5 defeat against the same team was no less humiliating, the goal differences ultimately put the greenshirts in the pre-quarters. Now the question arises whether Pakistan hockey team will raise the level of their game to a point where they could threaten Belgium for a place in the last eight stage. In such tournaments anything is possible. If a team like China that is ranked outside 20 in the world, could make it to the pre-quarters, a record four-time world champions Pakistan should trust in their abilities to upstage Belgium.

Ranking hardly matters in such big events - what matters is to play to the best of your abilities. For that the team confidence and better planning are key words. Sadly these elements were missing from the greenshirts armory. The team never had that confidence in them that could have separated a winning team from the losing one. Pakistan players confidence was on the lowest level specially in a match against Holland. It seems that no efforts had been put by the PHF officials to help players believe in their abilities. There is a need for Pakistan to raise the level of their game to new highest against Belgium.

The two sides have reached the pre-quarters in contrasting fashion. While greenshirts sneaked in with only one point from the three pool games, edging out Malaysia on goal difference. The red lions (Belgium) were unlucky not to qualify for the quarter finals directly, missing out only on goal difference. Belgium had won two and drew one with India, who topped the pool because of the better goal difference.

Surprisingly, Pakistan and Belgium have played against each other just twice in the World Cup with Pakistan winning on both occasions 2-0 in 1973 and 3-2 in 2002. Till only a few years back, Belgium were a non-entity on the international hockey circuit and quite a few times even failed to qualify for the World Cup and the Olympics.

A bad decision by the PHF in 2016 helped Belgium gather their confidence for big occasion. The PHF rejected International Hockey Federation(FIH) offer of a wildcard to figure in the 2016 Champions Trophy held in London. Belgium grabbed the opportunity at Pakistan decline with both hands and never looked back.

Their mercurial rise in a very short time is simply amazing. Belgium’s best positions at the top international title events have arrived in recent times. The team then went on to finish runner up in 2016 Olympics, courtesy to PHF’s senseless decision of rejecting the offer.