Pakistan made sure of finishing among the top four in the Champions Trophy hockey tournament after easily beating world champions Germany 5-2 in their penultimate league match at the Wagener Stadium, in Amstelveen, near Amsterdam, on Thursday.
With eight points from four matches, the Pakistanis have also enhanced their chances of making the final. All they need is a victory over India in their concluding league match on Friday.
For Germany, it was their fourth defeat in as many matches. They continue to occupy the cellar below India.
Yet to lose a match in the tournament, Pakistan started with authority. They used the wings to draw the German defenders out and splinter through. That tactic got them off to a rousing start when, in the fifth minute, Mudassar Ali, instead of going in alone to score when left unmarked, caught the defence on the wrong foot as he deftly tapped the ball to Kashif Jawad, positioned near the post, to despatch home.
The Germans came back strongly from the restart and forced their first penalty corner, but Alexander Sahmel's flick was deflected out by Shabbir Hussain.
Rehan Butt made it 2-0 in the 15th minute following a good run down the right by Mudassar Ali, who squared for Butt to beat a defender and sound the board.
Though the Germans did well to contain the marauding Pakistani forwards for a good ten-minute spell, they could only stand and watch as Jawad got his second goal of the match in the 25th minute. Following a delightful passing bout between Hussain and Butt, he had the easiest of tasks to drill home a still shot for his fourth goal of the tournament.
Germany came by two close chances at the fag end of the first half, but Nicolas Emmerling and Sebastian Draguhn hit wide.
In the second session, Pakistan continued with their crisp passing and free-flowing hockey. Their task was made easier by the German preference for the long aerial ball to ease the pressure. Each time the ball was scooped into their half, the Pakistanis launched swift attacks to threaten the German goal.
But they soon grew complacent as they attempted some fancy play. A counterattack caught the defence napping as Benjamin Kopp centred the ball into the striking circle for a diving Benedikt Sperling to deflect the ball home in the 42nd minute and pull one back for Germany.
The goal was a shot in the arm for the Germans and they suddenly stepped up the pace. With good promptings from their midfield, they held possession and denied the Pakistans the space they had enjoyed in the first half. Three minutes later, Kopp reduced the margin further when he dribbled past two defenders and drove the ball home past Pakistani goalkeeper Ahmed Alam to raise visions of a fightback.
Play was confined to the midfield for some time thereafter before Pakistan forced their first penalty corner of the match in the 56th minute. But Sohail Abbas's high flick rammed straight into Christian Schulte's helmet, which needed some repairs.
Seven minutes from the end, Pakistan had a chance to strengthen their lead, but Jawad's deflection from a cross by Gazanfar Ali was saved well by Schulte. From the clearance, the Germans broke away and Sperling was left with only goalkeeper Alam to beat, but he slipped and was dispossessed. In frustration he pushed a Pakistan player on the ball and earned a temporary suspension.
With Germany down to 10 men, Pakistan forced their second penalty corner four minutes from time. This time Abbas made no mistake with his drag flick and scored his sixth goal of the tournament.
Salim Khalid hit the final nail in the German coffin, finishing in style a move down the right between the hardworking Mudassar Ali, who had a fine match, and Rehan Butt.
More from rediff