Netherlands – Pakistan 3-1 (1-1 halftime)

The third-ranked Dutch had their hands full against #9 Pakistan in today’s 2012 Hockey Champions Trophy opening game in Melbourne. In the end, a strong second half from the Netherlands powered them through to the 3-1 win.

It was a sluggish start for both teams in the first half, as they spent much of the time in the neutral zone with the scoring chances few and far between. It wasn’t until Pakistan’s Muhammed Waqas made a diving goal 17 minutes into action that both teams shook off the cobwebs and turned it up a notch.

The Dutch put in the equalizer on a penalty corner opportunity when Klaas Vermeulen scored with four minutes left in the half. The goal would prove to the start of a flurry of penalty corner chances for the Dutch, who settled into a good rhythm after netting the equalizer.

Vermeulen doubled the lead 10 minutes into the second half on another clean penalty corner goal as Pakistan looked more and more outmatched the longer the game went on. With 14 minutes left in regulation Jereone Herzberer put in the insurance 3-1 marker to life the Dutch to the victory in their first outing.