Pakistan gained valuable experience in Germany series: Lodhi

KARACHI: Pakistan junior hockey team manager Ajmal Khan Lodhi has said the series against Germany’s junior team was a great learning experience, especially for players competing against a strong European team for the first time.

Pakistan lost the series 4-0, with 20 out of 26 players playing for the first time against a top European side. Germany are currently the world champions. They also rank No. 1 in junior hockey while Pakistan are ninth.

Lodhi pointed out that most Pakistani players are used to competing against Asian teams, as their tournaments are primarily held in the region. He acknowledged Germany’s strength, saying, “They are the best and toughest team in the world right now. We lost three matches by just one goal. Their experience and quality made the difference.”

He emphasised that the series allowed the team management to test all available players and assess their potential, talent, and skills against a world-class opponent. Pakistan earned 28 penalty corners but managed to score only twice, highlighting the need to improve goal conversion. “Our penalty corner conversion rate is much better against Asian teams, but we struggled against Germany. This is an area that needs improvement,” Lodhi said. He praised the team’s attacking approach and coordinated play, which helped them win penalty corners. However, Germany’s goalkeeper played a crucial role in their defense and was named the player of the series.

“The main reason we couldn’t win or draw a match was our poor finishing and missed goal-scoring chances,” Lodhi explained.

Germany’s man-to-man marking strategy posed challenges for Pakistan, as the players were not accustomed to this style of defense.