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Planet Field Hockey

Indoor World Cup Leipzig Day 2.

Bill Colwill, The Independent, London.

Germany?s men were the only team to claim a semi final place on the second day of the Indoor World Cup in Leipzig following wins against the Czech Republic and Switzerland. Thanks to a string of fine saves from Czech goalkeeper Patrik Busek and the woodwork, the Czechs denied the Germans a goal until 10 minutes into the game when Oliver Domke scored the first of his three goals at a corner. Domke?s second was a spectacular one as he was falling at the edge of the circle. The Czechs then pulled a goal back with the Germans conceding their first goal in 94 minutes of play. A late decision by Danish umpire Henrik Ehlers after the German players had left for the half time interval brought the teams back on to the pitch with the Czechs scoring the second of two penalty corners for a 2-3 interval score line. The Germans took control after the interval, making a four goal gap before Lukas Lahoda scored his second corner for the Czechs to end the game. German captain Florian Kunz said afterwards: "We made it difficult for ourselves early on. We should have scored a couple of times in the opening minutes. It was difficult to get into offensive positions against a strong defensive team."

In their second game they were off to good start with a 14 second goal from Philip Sunkel. The Swiss kept pace with the Germans going into the interval 4-3. The Germans opened up a three goals gap only to be pegged back again before, with Domke completing another hat trick, they ended with a 9-6 victory in spite of a late Swiss rally.

Canada?s semi final hopes were put on ice when they drew 5-5 with the Czech Republic, Canada scoring twice in the last 24 seconds to claim the draw. Earlier the Czechs, with Michal Vespalec scoring three times, had gone into a 4-1 lead. Switzerland now become favourites to claim the second semi final place.

France and the Netherlands provided the most exciting clash of the day in the men?s competition. In a game which had just about everything the Dutch led 2-1 at the interval. French goalkeeper Julien Thamin made a fine penalty stroke save. The French, with a player under temporary suspension, went 3-2. The French levelled at 3-3, going into the lead for the first time with under two minutes remaining. With 27 seconds remaining Willem Gassner to put a stroke on to the post while in the dying seconds Frederic Soyez completed his hat trick for an excellent French 5-3 victory to keep them in the semi final hunt.

The German women look on course to join their men in the semi finals. Yesterday they crushed Australia 19-2 with hat tricks from Nadine Ernsting-Krienke, Britta Becker, Anneke Bohmert and four goals from Natascha Keller. The Czech Republic also remain on maximum points in spite of struggling to overcome Trinidad and Tobago 3-0. In the other Pool the Dutch and France are also on full points. The French struggled to beat Lithuania 3-1 whilst the Dutch moved gracefully to a 7-0 victory against the South Africans with Johanna Schopman scoring four times.

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