Pakistan face Holland in Olympic qualifiers next month

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan faces one of the toughest opponents of the modern day hockey The Netherlands in back-to-back Olympic qualifiers to be held in Amsterdam on October 26 and 27, 2019.The International Hockey Federation (FIH) has announced the final roadmap for the Olympics as all the leading teams have been given opportunity to have one last go at the dream participation.Holland will meet Pakistan for a place in the 2020 Tokyo (Japan) Olympics in back-to-back matches to be played at their home. Teams winning their respective matches will make it to the Olympics.Pakistan faces tough opponents in The Netherlands, mainly because the greenshirts have lost crucial points for missing the FIH Pro League days ahead of its start in February. The late withdrawal earned Pakistan negative points. Pakistan were thus placed at No 12 of the available teams and were to play one the three top teams Germany, India or The Netherlands. The draws ceremony held in Lausanne (Switzerland) Monday saw Pakistan locking the horns against The Netherlands that is considered one of the toughest available teams. The modern day powerhouse of hockey not only had played the pro-league but have been featuring in top hockey continuously for the last decade.Pakistan on other hand are virtually out of the competitive hockey for the last two year or ever since former secretary Shahbaz Ahmad took over the charge.“Definitely it is possibly the toughest of jobs for my team, playing Olympic qualifier against the leading team would be a big ask. Had we kept on playing competitive hockey during the last two years, beating Holland would not have been difficult. Under present circumstances indeed it is a tough ask as our team has not played even single international for the last almost over a year now,” Kh Junaid, national team head coach, said.He however assured his countryman that he would try to bring out the best from players. “One thing I assure that we would try to our hundred percent in the back-to-back games.”Junaid rued missed FIH Pro League saying that cost Pakistan dearly. “Had we played the league, we would now have been pitted against a weaker team.” The FIH Hockey Olympic qualifiers have been determined by a draw held Monday at the FIH headquarters in Lausanne.The winners of these FIH Hockey Olympic qualifiers will qualify for the 2020 Olympic hockey tournaments which will be staged in Japan’s capital city from 25 July to 7 August next year and involve 12 Men’s and 12 Women’s teams.Men: 25/26 Oct: Spain – France, Valencia26/27 Oct: The Netherlands – Pakistan, Amsterdam26/27 Oct: Canada – Ireland, West Vancouver1/2 Nov: India – Russia, Bhubaneswar2/3 Nov: New Zealand – Korea, Stratford2/3 Nov: Germany – Austria, Monchengladbach2/3 Nov: Great Britain – Malaysia, LondonWomen25/26 Oct: Australia – Russia, Perth25/26 Oct: China – Belgium, Changzhou25/26 Oct: Spain – Korea, Valencia2/3 Nov: India – USA, Bhubaneswar2/3 Nov: Germany – Italy, Monchengladbach2/3 Nov: Great Britain – Chile, London2/3 Nov: Ireland – Canada, DublinThe following teams have already qualified:Men: Japan, Argentina, South Africa, Belgium and AustraliaWomen: Japan, Argentina, South Africa, The Netherlands and New Zealand.

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