Spain cruise past Pakistan 5-1 in FIH Pro League
This is the tenth successive loss for the Green-shirts who have failed to show any respectable resistance in the event so far
By Alam Zeb Safi
ANTWERP, Belgium: Spain delivered a clinical attacking performance to whip Pakistan 5-1 in the FIH Men’s Pro League at the Belfius Hockey Arena on Saturday, powered by braces from Nicolas Alvarez and Pepe Cunill.
This is the tenth defeat from Pakistan in the nine-nation league. Pakistan had got an opportunity to play at this level after New Zealand withdrew due to financial issues.
The Spanish side dominated the structural flow of the game, translating 24 circle penetrations into five goals, while an isolated Pakistan squad struggled to spark consistent momentum despite a third-quarter response. Spain established control early in the first quarter. Forward Nicolas Alvarez opened the scoring in the 11th minute, capitalizing on a defensive lapse to slot home a field goal. Coach Cesar Hernandez’s team extended their lead in the second quarter through penalty corner specialist Pepe Cunill, who converted from the set-piece in the 23rd minute to double Spain’s advantage. Just before the halftime whistle, Cunill found the back of the net again, strike-marking his second goal of the match in the 30th minute via open play to make it 3-0.
Pakistan adjusted their tactical press after the break, yielding immediate results in the third period. Abu Mahmood pulled one back for the Green-shirts in the 43rd minute, scoring an accurate drag-flick from a penalty corner to narrow the deficit to 3-1. Any hopes of a late Pakistani comeback were definitively extinguished in the final quarter. Marc Reyne restored Spain’s three-goal cushion in the 48th minute with a brilliant field goal. Alvarez then put the definitive seal on the victory, logging his second goal of the evening in the 53rd minute to finalize the 5-1 scoreline. The statistical disparity highlighted Spain’s execution, converting one of their six penalty corners and adding four field goals. Pakistan managed to secure four penalty corners but only converted once, finishing the game without a single field goal.
Pakistan will now face Belgium on June 19. In the first show the other day Belgium had crushed Pakistan 7-1.
