Argentina wins an enthralling final

By S. Thyagarajan

Final : Argentina 5 Spain 4

Poland 5 -- Belgium 2

New Zealand 4 -- Canada 0

India 4 -- Japan 3

Russia 4 -- Bangladesh 2

Egypt 2 -- US 1

Scotland 5 -- Chile 4

EDINBURGH, JULY 29. Elegant, energetic and effervescent, Argentina staged a remarkable comeback as a major world hockey power winning the World Cup qualifier prevailing over Spain in a dramatic duel on a warm, sunny afternoon at Peffermill. What a memorable end to the event indeed.

For a team which was out of the last edition at Utrecht in 1998, the return to the fold as the champion outfit is indeed a fascinating transformation. Throughout, the Argentines demonstrated a noticeable flair, fervour and fluency that were as distinctive from what the others showed here. Argentina could not have bargained for a more spectacular start than what the mercurial Mario Almada provided. Even before the Spanish could comprehend the developing situation, Argentina hoisted the lead. Exactly on the stroke of the second minute, a long clearance down the line by Caldas froze the rival defence.

At the right spot to meet the pass, Mario Almada slithered down the line as a serpent through the grass and capped the run with a withering shot that almost flabbergasted the usually effective goal-keeper, Harrera. By the end of the day, it was again once again the magic of Jorge Lombi that stood out. He netted three to be the player of the tournament with a tally of 19 goals.

Stung by the reverse and shocked by the emerging dreadful canvas, the Spaniards began to thread to a few threatening forays with Juan Escarre and Xavier Arnau as the frontman. But success was nowhere near, thanks to the efficient defence phalanx screened by Maximilano Caldas, Carlos Retegui and German Orazco giving no room for the rival attackers. Added to the Argentine strength was the efficiency of the goal-keeper, Pablo Morreira, who repeatedly foiled the attempts. Even the penalty corner exercises of the Spainish players were poor and mundane.

It was Argentina that struck again, and who else it could be than Jorge Lombi when the award was a penalty corner. Lombi's wristy flick sent the ball flying to the roof of the net. The Spanish goal survived another attack but a shot by Almada flew above the target.

Only in the last 10 minutes of the first half was there a semblance of Spanish pressure. Four penalty corners surfaced but none proved productive with goal-keeper Harrera making the charming saves. When two minutes remained from close, Spain hit the target. Picking up a loose ball near the 25-yard line, Eduard Taubu surged in to beat Morreira.

At 2-1 during the break, Argentina still looked authoritative, and as though to confirm this line of thinking the Spanish goal fell again, Carlos Retegui scoring.

Spain came back into the contest with Francisco Fabregas finding the net. The tempo hit the upcurve as the teams began to battle it in the remaining minutes.

Spain naturally looked for an opening to restore parity to fashion a winning chance. A lovely save by Morreira off Juan Escarre kept Argentina ahead midway in the second half. A superb field goal by Jorge Lombi epitomised the mood of the Argentines as the Spanish spirit sunk to depth of despair when another goal by Jorge Lombi made the humiliation for the Spaniards complete.

The Spanish spark did not extinguish there. It continued in the last minute too when Pol Amat struck from a penalty corner followed by another in the dying seconds from Jordi Quintana.

Japan stretches India

Confidence, or whatever the Indians gained out of their qualification for the World Cup, collapsed in the face of a formidable challenge put up by the Japanese, who threatened to walk away with the match. Loose play in the defence and none too assured goal-keeping by Jude Felix put the knots around the team which went out for the breather at 3-3.

Speedy and thrustful, the Japanese peppered the Indian defence, and two splendid goals by Yamabori from a penalty corners heightened tension. Though India managed to score back quickly from 1-0 to 1-1 through Baljit Singh Dhillon and again at 2-2, there were clear indications that the defence was anything but tight. Baljit Singh Dhillon pumped in another flick from a penalty corner for the lead but Takiya Kawada deflected a delightful cross to get the honours even.

India tightened up after the break, and Daljit Singh Dhillon flicked in a push from Baljit in a penalty corner to hoist the fourth goal and the lead. It was not easy for Indians to hang on to that with the Japanese fighting for the equaliser, earning a penalty corner, which was executed after the regulation time.

In fact, Tobita's terrific drive went into the netting but the Egyptian umpire, Heshnam Korany, disallowed the goal for the ball being above the board. It was a narrow escape for India who lived dangerously throughout the tournament but managed to end the competition at the fifth place.

New Zealand, which came in as a replacement for Zimbabwe, picked up the seventh and the last spot available for the World Cup. Undeniably, the victory was a handsome one, confirming the earlier 5-3 verdict against the same opponent as no flash in the pan. Yet the margin today might mask, unfortunately though, the fortitude demonstrated by the Canadians.

Already depressed and despondent over the thefts of their valuables in the dressing room after the match against the Indians on Saturday, the Canadians put up a spirited display against the Kiwis.

A penalty corner by Wayne McIndoe shortly after the break gave the Kiwis the advantage. But the Canadians lost no hope even at this juncture, pressed hard to gain control. Much of their efforts however went in vain when the umpire Grime Murray flourished two yellow cards, against Rob Short and Sean Campbell, two of the outstanding players in the Canadian team. Reduced to nine, the Canadians put up a gallant display though the Kiwis managed to score through David Kasoof and Umesh Para.

In a second half resurgence Poland put it across to Belgium to confirm the third place after being locked 1-1 at half time. Actually, it was Belgium that struck first from a stroke, much against the run of play, through Robin Geens. But Poland equalised within minutes when a cross by Lukasz split the defence to give Tomasz Choczaj enough space to move and score.

In the second half, Poland outplayed the rival, with Piotr Mikula netting two, and Tomasz Choczaj and Robert Grzeszczak scoring one each. The lone Belgian goal came from Joeri Beunen in this session.

Player of the Tournament: Jorge Lombi (Argentina); Young Player of the Tournament: Laurence Docherty (Scotland); Best Goal- keeper: Bernarardino Harrera (Spain).

Other result: 9-10: France 2 (Florent Durchon, Sebastien Jeanjean) beat Wales 1 (Jamie Westerman).

Earlier results: 15-16: Russia 4 (Vladislav Kuznetsov 2, Uri Sofonov, Evgueni Nechav) beat Bangladesh 2 (Ariful Haq Prince, Maksud Alam Habul).

13-14: Egypt 2 (Belal Ebrahim, Din Ahmen) beat United States 1 (Binh Hoang).

11-12: Scotland 5 (Nail Stott, Philip Webster, James Burns, Richard Forsyth, Mark Ralph golden goal0) beat Chile 4 (Pablo Kuhlenthal 2, Alan Stain, Flipe Montegu). 4-4 at regulation time and golden goal in extra-time.

Final Placings: 1. Argentina, 2. Spain, 3. Poland, 4. Belgium, 5. India, 6. Japan, 7. New Zealand, 8. Canada, 9. France, 10. Wales, 11. Scotland, 12. Chile, 13. Egypt, 14. United States. 15. Russia, 16. Bangladesh.

World Cup (Kuala Lumpur) 16: Holland (holder), Malaysia (host), Australia, South Korea, Pakistan, Germany, South Africa, Cuba, England, (automatic qualifiers), Argentina, Spain, Belgium, Poland, India, Japan, New Zealand or Canada. (qualifiers).

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