Defending champions The Netherlands and Pakistan played out a thrilling 2-2 draw in the Champions Trophy hockey tournament at the Wagener stadium in Amstelveen on Tuesday.
The result left them as the only unbeaten teams in the six-team competition after four days. The Dutch though lead the table with seven points from three matches. Pakistan have five from three.
In a keenly-contested match, it was the Dutch who held early ascendancy, applying pressure on the Pakistan goal. But once the Asian giants, who have won this tournament thrice, settled down after conceding a fourth minute goal, it was a keen tussle all through.
Teun de Noojier put the Dutch ahead in the fourth minute with a good deflection past goalkeeper Ahmad Alam. A little earlier he had tested Alam with a stiff reverse flick.
Pakistan drew level in the 27th minute after a dominant spell, as Sohail Abbas scored from the team's third penalty-corner. A little earlier Alam did well to save Taeke Taekema flick from a penalty-corner.
But Taekema was on target from Holland's third penalty corner, the first in the second session, in the 59th minute.
The reverse spurred the Pakistanis into frenzied activity and they were all over the Dutch goal. Gus Vogels brought off a couple of good saves but he was unable to stop a brilliant run by Kashif Jawad, who carried the ball from the 25 yard line and scored with a delectable flick over him.
From then on the ball swung end to end but without success for either team.
Match summary: Netherlands 2 (Teun de Nooijer, Taeke Taekema) drew with Pakistan 2 (Sohail Abbas, Kashif Jawad).
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