England opened their campaign at the FIH Hockey World Cup with a 4-1 victory over Pakistan on Saturday, scoring in every quarter to secure a convincing win at the Wagener Hockey Stadium in Amstelveen, Netherlands.
England controlled the Group D contest from the opening period and established a 1-0 lead before adding another goal in the second quarter. They extended their advantage in the third before completing the scoring in the final period.
Sam Ward, Stuart Rushmere, James Albery and Samuel Hooper were England’s scorers, while Afraz registered Pakistan’s only goal.
Ward put England ahead in the first quarter, with Rushmere adding a second in the second period. Albery then converted a penalty corner to strengthen England’s position before Hooper completed the scoring in the final quarter.
Pakistan managed to respond through Afraz, who scored a field goal, but England’s defensive organisation prevented the Asian side from mounting a sustained comeback.
England’s penalty-corner efficiency was a key difference between the teams. They earned six penalty corners and converted two, with Albery among the players involved in their set-piece success. Pakistan earned two penalty corners but failed to convert either.
England also held Pakistan to a single goal despite the latter creating opportunities during a match that included several video reviews.
For Pakistan, the defeat leaves them with work to do as the tournament progresses. Their attack produced only one goal, while England’s four different scorers underlined the depth of the English side’s threat.
Pakistan will now face Wales in their next game on Monay.
Meanwhile in the other clash defending champions Germany made a flying start, crushing Malaysia 5-1, at the Belfius Hockey Arena in Belgium.
Germany scored three times in the opening quarter to seize control, with Christopher Rühr, Jakob Brilla and Justus Weigand among the scorers as Malaysia struggled to contain the European side’s early pressure.
Malaysia settled after the first quarter and kept Germany scoreless in the second, but Germany restored their three-goal advantage in the third quarter through Justus Warweg.
Malaysia finally got on the scoresheet when Abu Kamal Azrai converted a penalty corner in the third quarter, giving the Asian side a brief lift.
Germany, however, finished strongly. Paul-Philipp Kaufmann scored in the final quarter to complete a 5-1 victory and underline Germany’s attacking depth.
Germany registered four field goals and converted one of seven penalty corners, while Malaysia scored once from four penalty corners. Germany’s five goals came from five different players.
The match also featured video reviews, with two challenges involving Malaysia rejected.
