ROSES, ROSES ALL THE WAY: The Australian team, which lifted the Indira Gandhi International Gold Cup on Saturday. — Photo: V. Sudershan

NEW DELHI: The defending champion, Australia rallied back from 0-2 deficit to carve out a 5-3 win via tiebreaker to retain the Indira Gandhi International Gold Cup hockey title on Saturday.

Down by two goals until the 56th minute, Australia attacked relentlessly to convert two penalty corners in the space of three minutes and equalised. The remainder of stipulated time and the 15-minute extra period proved goalless before Australia came out worthy winners with a 3-1 score in the penalty shoot-out.

Earlier, Italy surprised New Zealand 2-1 to take the third spot. Francesa Faustini scored off penalty corners for Italy in the first half. New Zealand's Kayla Sharlon was on target in the second session.

On this day, India came up with its best display of the tournament but had not reckoned with the fighting abilities of Australia. Indeed, Australia was a better side as it had the better of the exchanges right through the 85-minute final.

In the first half, India succeeded in scoring through Mamta Kharab in the sixth minute and Jasjeet Kaur, following India's second penalty corner in the 27th minute. Australia came close to scoring in the first session and even forced six penalty corners but could not breach the Indian defence.

Goalkeeper Helen Mary came up with a couple of good blocks while defenders Kanti Baa and Adeline Kerketta were quick with their clearances.

On the defensive

After the change of ends, India fell on the defensive to protect the lead and paid the penalty. It all began with Mamta's back-pass that led to Australia's seventh penalty corner and first of the second half. It was a regulation-conversion with captain Nikki Hudson's firm, low hit striking the board.

Thereafter, Australians forced two more penalty-corners in succession and again tasted success off the second, with Sarah Taylor beating the Indian defence. In the next four minutes, Australians gained two more penalty corners, taking the total to 11 in regulation time, but the Indians survived.

Seconds from the end of the first session of extra-time, Saba missed a scoring opportunity from inside the circle on the right flank and never got another in the remaining time.

When it came to penalty shootout, Australia's Suzie Faulkner, Nicole Arrold and Rebecca Sanders scored off the second, fourth and fifth attempts while Helen Mary foiled Angie Skirving and Nikki Hudson. For India, only Subhadra Pradhan was on target off the third attempt. Later, Australia's coach Frank Murrey and India's M. K. Kaushik agreed that India paid the penalty for being defensive in the second session.

"I think it was due to the lack of experience of the Indians that they tried to defend a two-goal lead," said Murrey soon after the presentation ceremony and continued, "At half time, my brief to the girls was to attack and create more scoring opportunities than they did in the first half. I asked the midfielders to go up and support the strikers. It worked. This win should raise the confidence of the girls. After all, now they'll have the belief that even when they are down by two goals, they can win. That's important."

Kaushik did not remember an occasion when India had squandered a two-goal advantage at home. "No doubt, the girls played much better than they did on Friday. But there was so much for our girls to learn from today's game. We have seen, on artificial surface, even a three-goal lead cannot be protected by playing defensively. I had told the girls to continue with their attacking ways in the second half but on the field, even forwards like Saba and Jasjeet joined the defence. As a result, we could hardly put pressure on the Australians in the second half," he said.

Final standings: 1. Australia, 2. India, 3. Italy, 4. New Zealand, 5. Malaysia.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail