Harpal Singh Bedi / Bhubaneswar
The much hyped pool D, also called group of death, consisting of three former champions – Pakistan (4) Netherlands (3) Germany (two) – who share 9 of the 13 titles of the Hockey World Cup between themselves, will come into play in the 14th edition of the tournament at Kalinga Stadium ,Bhubaneswar on Saturday.
The fourth team in the pool is Malaysia (semi-finalists in 1975). Netherland will take on Malaysia while Pakistan will face Germany
A close look at the tournament format shows that Pool D is no group of death the way it is understood in Football World Cup parlance. Here pool topper gets direct entry into the quarter finals and the fourth team gets eliminated. While second and third placed teams remain alive to play the cross overs with teams from another group
Thus, there is a possibility that teams finishing second and third in same pool making it to the finals. it to the finals
Netherlands who are also two-time Olympic champions (1996,2000) start huge favourites again Malaysia. This will be 13th time that two teams will be playing each other Netherlands has won ten times, Malaysia one and one match ended in a draw.
Coached by the Argentine Maximillian Caldas, the Dutch are a very tough team. They have had eight podium finishes, thrice apiece as champions and runners up and twice bronze medallists.
Caldas is not taking Malaysia lightly “. We need to be at our best to get a positive result. We are confident about our game. But we realise it’s the first game of the tournament (for us), It’s going to be very difficult for us, plus it’s going to demand our best game tomorrow. That’s what we are trying to prepare for.”
12th ranked Malaysia, coached by Roelant Oltmans will have to dug deep to stop their rampaging rivals. .
“Whatever we need to do has been done and we do not have any matches to play until the opening tie on Saturday. We need to come up with a game plan to bat the Dutch and that is not an easy task. Said Oltmans
“We play in a Group of Death which will also have Germany and Pakistan to deal with. I am not going to think of the others ahead of the Dutch game,” he said.
Germany and Pakistan have played each other for 28 times so for with European champions winning 13 times, Green shirts eight times while 7 were drawn.
Germany, who are also 4 time Olympic and eight -time European champions, may not look formidable but no team can afford to underestimated them.
“My team is mix of youth and experience. We are in the process of rebuilding “said German coach Stefan Karmas. “ We hope to start the campaign with full points”
Pakistan, ranked 13, have a daunting task ahead. The four times champion had finished with the wooden spoon in their last WC appearance at Delhi in 2010, one worse than their eleventh place at Willesden in 1986. Coached by penalty corner striker of yore Tauqeer Dar .
“We are under no pressure, we are not overawed by Germany. In fact, we fancy our chances against them. A win on Saturday will keep us alive in the tournament,” he added