Pakistan's hope of an Olympic gold or a medal in hockey is still a mirage. Four years earlier in Sydney the country was blocked by South Korea in the semi-final and it finished fourth. This time in Athens once the formation faltered against the attacking resources of Spain in the tortuous league phase its dreams lay in a shambles for the well-prepared and nippy Spanish outfit and the Germans moved into the penultimate round but not Pakistan. The latter slipped to a fifth place after overcoming New Zealand.
Much water has flowed down the Indus since Pakistan clinched the gold 20 years earlier in Atlanta with methodic efficiency. The European athleticism and systemisation, their defensive phalanx and incisive sallies have changed the whole complexion and configuration of international hockey. It is a difficult question, though a precise one, to answer if the former Asian power houses - Pakistan and India - and the modern challenger, South Korea, can make up the leeway to ascend the ladder to be bracketed with the global elite group of the game. It is a moot point if a fifth placement for Pakistan is good enough in the present heavy competition or they had the ingredients to parade a better tactic and technique to raise their rating upwards.
Some of the wizards of yore have hit out at the management's errors and flawed paper work while the pack measured strength with its rivals in the round-robin skirmishes but none has pointed to the defective plays adopted to face and annihilate the rivals initially in the league duels and latterly in the positional playoffs.
Taken in totality Pakistan's record in the tough Pool 'A' and after that against India and New Zealand it cannot be said that Pakistan could have finished a shade higher at the end of the Olympic contest.
The country's campaign started on the wrong foot against the bookies' favourite, Germany, world and European champion, but Pakistan put up a gallant fight upto the final hooter. The losers were by no stretch of imagination humiliated and when all their layers performed well enough they earned the approbation of the onlookers at the Hellenic Hockey Centre.
The avalanche of goals against Egypt should not be given much credence but the sparkling display of the Pakistan side against South Korea, Asiad Champions, and Britain displayed the expected proficiency, fervour and fluency of the Asian hockey heavy weight.
It was Spain that upset the applecart of Pakistan and teased their rear and middle-line throughout the duration of the match. For reasons unknown both the defence and the raiding-line of Pakistan were pathetic and it appeared as if the Spaniards had a field day.
Nothing went right for Pakistan while facing Spain. Their attacks were few and far between. Spain, on the contrary, asserted its class and strike power with a 4-0 triumph.
This was a critical match for Pakistan. A victory would have taken them to the semis, a stumble forced them out of the top four for a medal clash.
The Pakistanis had little ball possession, which was crucial if at all Sohail Abbas had to show his lethal flicks from the penalty corner zone. The Spanish combination fashioned a charming sequence of moves with lightning speed that gave little chance to the Pakistani defenders and middlers. The sad loss against Spain knocked Pakistan out of the medal race.
The Pakistani bunch came into its own in the playoff confrontations later and exhibited a fine piece of craftsmanship against India and New Zealand. There were too many frail areas in the Indian line-up. However, the Indians kept at bay the Pakistani raiders and Sohail Abbas was not successful in three attempts at the cage.
In the second session Pakistan, nippy and agile, produced a pulsating fare to push the Indian defence to the brink. Even Sohail Abbas's booming hit touched the upper portion of the net. A 3-0 success meant that India had a poor record against Pakistan this whole season. They finished seventh in Athens like the last Olympics in Sydney.
In the playoff for the 5th and 6th slots New Zealand was early to take the lead but Pakistan were more assured and competent later and their forwards' vibrant tactics paid the dividends. A success by 4-2 put Pakistan in the fifth placement, pushing New Zealand to a sixth spot but still qualifying for Lahore's Champions Trophy in December.
In the Pakistan - New Zealand test of strength Sohail Abbas earned a hat trick with three screaming shots to the net to make him the highest scorer of the Athens hockey with 11 goals to his credit. He is now six mark behind Dutch Paul Litjens's world record of 267.
However, can Pakistan always bank on the sure shots of Sohail Abbas without the threatening forays of the raiders. Back to age-old 5+3-2 tactics of former wizards should be the mode and method to be employed in global hockey contests. Then there is no place for over-elaboration and stick-sorcory in modern-day game. Pacy runs from the flanks would upset the plans of the Europeans and the Australians.
Australia and not Holland stunned the prophets by taking away the gold. The match was anybody's till the end of the regulation time but a golden goal by the Aussies made them the champions after waiting for decades. Silver and bronze had been their lot of the Kookaburras but not the top prize.
The bronze was also decided by a golden goal and Germany carried it away against Spain.
South Korea, last Olympics silver medallists, had a poor tournament, relegated to an eighth slot. Maybe their preparations were awry but they were too slow in critical matches.
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