MCT: Netherlands remain unbeaten
 |
| India |
August 23, 2003
Rediff
> Page Views 4659
As expected, defending champions The Netherlands easily beat Germany 6-0 in their concluding league match to stay unbeaten in the Champions Trophy hockey tournament.
At the Wagener Stadium in Amstelveen, near Amsterdam, on Saturday, the Olympic champions played at half pace to finish their league engagements with 13 points from five matches and take the top spot among the six teams.
In Sunday's final, they will meet Australia, who finished second with 10 points after routing Argentina in the earlier match of the day.
India and Pakistan will cross swords again in the third place play-off. India finished fourth in the league on better goal difference after Australia humbled Argentina.
The young German side did well to contain the Dutch for the first quarter of the match with crowding tactics. But once Bram Lomans tasted success from a penalty corner in the 20th minute, they could do little to stem the rot.
Karel Klaver scored from attacking play in the 24th minute before Lomans added another goal to his name four minutes later from another penalty corner to take his tournament tally to three.
In the second session, the Germans, without a single victory, tried to make a match of it, but just could not penetrate the Dutch defence.
Teun de Nooijer scored in the 43rd minute to make it 4-0 and then added another goal to his name -- his third of the tournament as well -- in the 68th minute before Floris Evers completed the rout with a minute to go.
This was also the first match to end with a clean slate for the winning team.
Germany now play Argentina in the match to decide the fifth and sixth spots.
Your opinion counts.
Rate this article or enter your comments below.
|
