The Hindu : Sport / Olympic Games : Holland beats India

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Aug 16, 2004

Sport

Sport - Olympic Games

Holland beats India

By S. Thyagarajan

Spain 1 Korea 1

Germany 2 Pakistan 1

Britain 3 Egypt 1

Netherlands 3 India 1

Australia 4 New Zealand 1

South Africa 2 Argentina 1

ATHENS, AUG. 15. The Olympic campaign for India, under the foreign coach, Gerhard Rach of Germany began on the wrong foot with the Netherlands, the defending champion, asserting its supremacy in the last quarter of the Pool B hockey competition at the Hellenic Hockey Centre on Sunday. The Dutch led 1-0 at half-time.

Cheered by an enthusiastic crowd India went on the offensive but conceded an early goal owing to a poor tackle by Sandeep Singh. Marten Eikelboom capitalised on the error to increase the lead for the Netherlands from a neat pass by Ronald Brauwer.

Prompted well by the mid-fielders, where Ignace Tirkey and Vikram Pillay were conspicuous, India did fashion a few threatening forays. And even forced a penalty corner. Sandeep Singh's drag flick was neatly saved by goal-keeper Guus Vogels.

Ignace Tirkey, Viren Resquinha and Vikram Pillay worked with enthusiasm. Gagan and Deepak made a couple of good runs as did Dhanraj but the Dutch defence was too well organised.

One impressive surge came from Gagan Ajit Singh but his strike was too feeble to cause any alarm to a goal-keeper of the stature of Vogels. There were spells when the Indians dominated thanks to the enterprise of Deepak Thakur.

The second half was lively with the Indian frontline in full flow, but Gagan missed a sitter with only Vogels in front of him. Goal-keeper Adrian de Souza, making his debut in the Olympics, put up an impressive display making a great save from the penalty corner by Taeke Taekma.

The Dutch obtained their second goal in a brilliant fashion when Teun de Nooijer reverse flicked a cross from the right with 16 minutes remaining, and was followed by Taeke Takema from a penalty corner. In the dying minutes India reduced the margin through a splendid penalty corner goal by Gagan Ajit Singh.

Pakistan loses

Pakistan succumbed to the pressure, proficiency and disciplined performance of the World champion Germany in a Pool A hockey match. Germany led 2-0 at half-time.

Pakistan's trump-card did not pay off as the ace flicker Sohail Abbas missed both the penalty corners.

The first, midway in the opening session sailed over the post, and the next in the early stages of the second, a low flick, was stopped neatly by goal-keeper Clemens Arnold.

Rehan Bhat, who reduced the margin late in the match, Muhammad Shabir and, to some extent, Nadeem Ahmed, kept the pressure on the rival defence where Philip Crone and Florian Kunz were impressive in their work.

Germany won mainly on the ingenuity of its wingers who found the right back Ghazanfar Ali prone to errors, Early in the match Chistoph Eimer veered around Ghazanfar and served a neat pass. Bajorn Emmerling finished with a backhander giving goal-keeper, Ahmed Alam no chance.

Almost a similar effort by Matthias Witthaus ended with Bjorn Michel netting the second goal close on half-time. There was a noticeable verve in the Pakistani attack after resumption.

Shakeel Ahmed and Shabbir were prominent, but it was Rehan Bhatt who displayed the opportunism to flick in a rebound from Emmerling's goal-line save from a shot by Abbasi.

A draw could not be ruled out at this point. But Germany's Justas Scharowsky missed minutes before the hooter, his shot hitting the left post and curling away.

S. Africa wins

South Africa outsmarted a vibrant Argentina in a pool `B' encounter. South Africa, widely regarded as a surprise qualifier after Greece failed in its bid to gain an automatic entry through the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS), was not expected to be a tough customer for many. But the South Africans playing without any trace of inhibition came back to hit the target twice in the first half after conceding the lead.

The man who gave South Africa a fine hour this morning was the sharp shooter, Greg Nicol. Argentina did have everything its way initially and Almada's brilliant strike in the early minutes only confirmed it. But the Africans slowly picked up the threads, defended their end well. Goal-keeper Staniforth brought off a few brilliant saves even to shut down the dangerous flicker, Jorge Lombi in penalty corners. Argentina had nine against the two by South Africa.

Greg Nicol flicked within minutes after resumption, and connected a long cross from the right to find the target that shocked the defence.

Australia impressive

If the Aussie coach Barry Dancer wanted a perfect start for his men after the debacle of the women, the defending champion, against Germany last night, he had one against the Kiwis.

The Aussies, chasing the elusive gold for decades now, profited from a proficient display of marksmanship of Jaime Dwyer. Not only this gallant mid-fielder struck three of the four goals, but the manner in which he grabbed them underlined the synchronisation that the Aussie team was found wanting in the recent tournaments.

It was not as smooth as the margin may mirror. The Kiwis feeling the absence of an expert and energetic mid-fielder like Ryan Archbald offered a good deal of resistance though a bit wayward in the defence in the early part of the encounter.

Other results: Pool A: Korea 1 (You Hyo Sik) drew with Spain 1 (Santiago Friexa); Britain 3 (Barry Middleton, Guy Fordham, Ben Hawes) bt Egypt 1 (Mohammad Samey).

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