USA: Tigers upset Boekaniers and Ciudad De Buenos Aires defeat Namdhari in a thriller to move into Cal Cup finals  x6
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| United States |
May 30, 2005 
Jawwad Qamar
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By Jawwad Qamar
May 29, Moorpark, CA: Tigers, a local team of current and former USA national players, shocked the Men?s Super Division favorites, the veteran Boekaniers from Holland, in a convincing fashion, 3-1, to move into the tournament?s final.
The well disciplined Tigers turned the table on the much experienced Dutch club as Shawn Hindy delivered on his team?s first penalty corner for an early 1-0 lead. Goalkeeper Jason Wellings did his part by keeping the Boekaniers, and especially the dangerous Rochus Westbroek, at bay as the buzzer sounded ending the first half.
The second half started almost the same way as the first, with Shawn Hindy again on target, increasing the lead to 2-0. After a number of missed penalty corners, the Boekainers finally scored on a field play as Horst van Gregory cut the lead to 2-1. However, this was short lived as Tigers stormed back on a quick counter attack with Gared Martin putting the ball low, into the left corner to go back up by two goals, 3-1. With the clock running down, the Dutch showed urgency but nothing worked for them. They showed surprisingly poor execution on penalty corners and their field play was tightly marked by a remarkably well organized Tigers. ?We knew that we?ll not be able to match their experience,? said Coach Gabriel Scally, the former Argentinean great. ?Our plan was to mark closely and take away any space and it worked.?
The Boekaniers didn?t know what hit them. Goalkeeper Wellings came up big on their seventh penalty corner and they followed by missing on the last one.
Uncharacteristically, the Boekaniers wasted eight penalty corners while the Tigers and Hindy were on target, going two for two. This was a great victory for the Tigers who will now meet another big challenge in the form of Ciudad De Buenos Aires of Argentina.
Earlier in the first semi-final, the Ciudad De Buenos Aires defeated Namdhari from India in perhaps the match of the tournament. A fast paced match with skills was expected and that?s what the large crowd got. The Argentineans started the scoring into the fourth minute as Facundo Calliono on a beautiful reverse stick shot from the left. Back to back action followed as Sher Singh?s shot was saved by goalkeeper Mariano Chao and Harjinder Singh in goal or the Indians did the same to captain Santiago Capurro on the other end.
After a number of missed shots on constant pressure by Namdhari, Dider Singh made no mistake on his team?s third penalty corner, leveling the score at 1-1, much to the delight of the large Indian crowd. However, the master, Jorge Lombi, drag flicks high into the net on Buenos Aires? first penalty corner to regain the lead 2-1 as the first half ends.
Second half started with classic play by both sides and after a seesaw battle, Lombi showed why he is a star, drawing Harjinder Singh out on a nifty move to give his side a 3-1 lead. Indians come right back as Gurcham Singh slams it in high on a 3 on 2 attack from left to narrow the score 2-3.
Namdahri continue attacks looking for the equalizer leaving the defense short and the always reliable Capurro takes advantage on a counter, shooting the ball through the legs of Harjinder Singh to go up by two goals, 4-2 for the final tally and moving his team to the finals. This was a classic, high caliber and very entertaining match where the Argentineans showed their experience and the young India side from Punjab, just like yesterday, against the Boekaniers in the last pool match, failed to gain any penalty corners in the second half.
Mystery beat San Jose Khalsa 4-2 for fifth place with Pat Harris scoring two goals on penalty corners. In the Women?s Super Division, earlier in the day, the Semi-final teams were decided.
Today?s key matches
Women? Semifinals
Jail Break vs Ontario Jrs. 7:00 AM
Monarcas vs Slime 8:00
Men Third Place
Namdhari vs Boekaniers 10:00 AM
Women?s Final at 1:10 PM
Men Final;
Ciudad De Buenos Aires vs Tigers 2:30 PM
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