MJWC: Australia raring to avenge defeat
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| Australia |
July 10, 2005
Hindu, India
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Australia will be looking to avenge their defeat in the league round to Argentina when they take on the South Americans in the final of the Rabobank Junior World Cup hockey tournament here today.
An injury-hit Australia lost 1-3 to a fired up Argentina in the concluding phase-2 league fixture. The victory took Argentina into the semi-finals where they went on to subdue Spain 2-1 with an extra-time golden goal.
The Aussies did well to pick themselves up from that defeat and also a 0-2 first-half deficit to beat defending champions India in the other semi-final on Friday.
Going by their semi-final performance, Australia, winners of the 1997 edition in Milton Keynes, appear overwhelming favourites. Surely, Argentina cannot expect any slackness in the Australian combination as was the case when they met them earlier.
Rather, the Aussies, with their one-touch passing, speed and power play, would be all primed up for the final, especially after their wonderful fightback against India in the semis. That would have boosted their confidence considerably and the opportunity to avenge the league defeat would be another incentive to the fast and fit Aussies.
Argentina, on the other hand, appear comparatively less organised though they would not be short on motivation to win the Cup that they missed out in Hobart in 2001 when losing to India in the final.
Against Aussies, Argentina would need to shrug off their typically slow start that was witnessed in their semi-final clash with Spain. They will have to be on the button from the start and deny Australia any early goals.
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