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The Netherlands rides roughshod on the hapless Indians

S. Thyagarajan

Spain joins Australia in the last four stage from Pool A

— Photo: AP

SUPER STRIKES: Taeke Taekema had a whale of a time slamming in five of the six goals that the Netherlands scored against the Indians.

Monchengladbach: Pathetic in defending penalty corners but conceding a plethora of them without the least bit of resistance, India was pummelled by the Netherlands to a tennis-set-like score of 6-1 in Pool B of the hockey World Cup on Tuesday. The showing only underscored the demoralisation that has set in after the team's deplorable sequence of defeats in the earlier games.

That India finished the league engagements with a solitary point gained out of a draw against South Africa in five matches is indeed tragic. None forecast India overcoming the Dutch in this crucial encounter but the manner in which India plunged into despair was sickening. Incapable of matching the pace and precision of the Dutch workouts, the deep defence presented a picture of chaos inside the circle.

Modicum of initiative

Hearteningly, the attack functioned with a modicum of initiative thanks to the promptings by Gagan Ajit Singh supported by Shivendra and Tushar. In the mid-field too, the wing backs, Vinay and Prabodh, with Ignace Tirkey showing some enterprise, kept the rival under check. But the deep defenders inspired no confidence as did goal-keeper Adrian.

Fumbling repeatedly, the defence was clueless and error-prone, giving penalty corners for the asking. Sadly, the defenders lost focus too, indulging in theatrics, arguing with the umpire and causing needless delay in the execution of penalty corners.

All these negative factors, notwithstanding the sole goal scored by Dilip Tirkey midway through from a penalty corner, only presented a perfect base for a flicker of the calibre of Taeke Takema. He relished every moment and by the time the final whistle came he had converted four penalty corners and a stroke.

"It is not often you get a chance to score five goals," commented the colourful Dutchman with an obvious sense of glee.

More agonising than the cascade of goals was the yellow cards. No other squad in the World Cup here has received as many; that shows that there is something fundamentally wrong with discipline. Is it ignorance of rules? Almost in every encounter, the team had a card or two. On Tuesday, Kanwalpreet Singh got his second yellow, and Viren, whose verbal duels with the umpires irritated everyone, earned him a temporary suspension. How much the team loses when reduced to 10 or even nine is never realised by the players.

Actually, the Dutch on Tuesday were desperate to win as the they needed full points to stay in contention, especially with Korea and Germany looking well set to make the last four. More than that they required goals too to boost the aggregate.

Quite predictably, no Indian name figures in the nominations for the World Player of the Year Award for men and juniors, decided by coaches and select media journalists. The awards will be presented by IOC President, Jacques Rogge on September 16.

Spain advances

There was an inexplicable strain in the approach work and style of Spain, which joined Australia in the semifinals from Pool A here on Wednesday. The 4-2 outcome came after a very ponderous performance.

Invisible was the flair. The movements were sluggish, even by accomplished forwards like Tubau. Only Santi Friexa's opportunism brought three goals. The Spaniards were shocked by an early goal by Kimichi Katyamama. Until Pol Amat flicked in a cross by Friexa, the Japanese, buoyed by their triumph against Argentina on Tuesday, called the shots. They forced as many as six penalty corners in the first session.

However, after the break Spain surged ahead from a goal by Friexa but that did not last long. Katayama was credited with scoring after deliberations between the umpires and the video umpire. The debate was whether Katayama got the touch to the long ball he received from the mid-field.

A draw loomed large at that point even though that was enough for Spain to confirm its place in the last four. But Friexa scored twice before the hooter for a 4-2 result.

Gaining a point from a goalless draw in Pool B, holder Germany and South Korea joined Australia and Spain (Pool A) in the semifinals. Germany and Korea finished with 11 points followed by Netherlands at 10.

The nominations: Men: Pol Amat (Spain), Ryan Archbald (New Zealand), Philip Crone (Germany), Teun di Nooijer (Holland), Jerome Delmee (Holland), Brent Lovermore (Australia), Yong Bae (Korea) and Stephen Mowlan (Australia).

Young Player: Under 23: Shakeel Abbasi (Pakistan), David Alagre (Spain), Santi Friexa (Spain), Mark Knowles (Australia), Robert van der Horst (Holland), Christopher Zeller (Germany).

The results: Pool A: Spain 4 (Santi Friexa 3, Pol Amat) bt Japan 2 (Kimichi Katayama 2). Pool B: The Netherlands 6 (Taeke Takema 5, Roderick Weusthof) bt India 1 (Dilip Tirkey). Germany 0 drew with Korea 0.

Thursday is a rest day.

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