AMSTELVEEN (The Netherlands), Aug 16: A late penalty corner conversion by newcomer Grant Schubert saved the day for Australia ensuring a 4-4 draw with Pakistan in the opening match of the 25th Champions Trophy hockey tournament here on Saturday.

Australia trailed throughout but scrapped the equaliser in the dying minutes of the game as Schubert claimed his second goal to join the elite group of strikers who score on their debut.

“We played poorly in the first half and the team didn’t meet the expectations I had of them,” said Australia coach Barry Dancer.

“We didn’t control the tempo of the match in the first half and Pakistan put players forward to put pressure on our defence,” added Australia’s Brent Livermore.

Pakistan coach Tahir Zaman blamed the last two Australian goals on his team’s inexperienced defence.

“The defenders did not communicate well and suffered under the increased psychological pressure,” he complained.

Pakistan took an early lead when Mudassir Ali scored after six minutes from an unchallenged strike from the top of the circle into the right of the net.

Four minutes later Sohail Abbas added a second when he converted Pakistan’s first penalty corner with a lightning fast low flick to the right of Australian goalie Mark Hickman.

Schubert completed a move from tight play in Pakistan’s circle with a flick high into goal from an acute angle on the right to get Australia back into the match after 14 minutes.

Sohail scored his second after 31 minutes, while Troy Elder made it 3-2 two minutes later with a neat low flick past Pakistan goalkeeper Ahmad Alam.

Both sides scored again towards the end of the second half through a series of short passes in the circle, with Saleem Khalid netting after 64 minutes and a quick free hit by Brent Livermore to Michael McCann caught Pakistan napping when Dean Butler slipped a pass into the net three minutes later.

Elder’s drag flick rebounded to Schubert and he hit into goal from the right for his second goal to save the day for Australia.

Pakistan meet Argentina in the second league game on Sunday.

Later in another match of the day, India squandered a 3-0 lead to lose to the Netherlands whose unlikely 4-3 victory was achieved with four goals coming in seven minutes.

“My team were paralysed in the scoreless first half by the pressure of the event and the expectations of playing at home,” Dutch coach Joost Bellaart said.

“India played very good hockey for 60 minutes and I give them full credit for the way they played in the first 25 minutes of the second half,” he added.

India’s coach Rajinder Singh said his team would learn from their dramatic collapse.

“We played a wonderful game for 60 minutes and dominated the match,” said India’s coach, Rajinder Singh.

“Countries like Holland, Australia and Germany push very hard in the last 10 minutes of a match and we must learn to deal with that,” said India’s captain, Dhanraj Pillay.

India’s three goals were skilful and deserving.

Ronald Brouwer was instrumental in India’s first, conceding the penalty corner with a ball on his foot, then failing to shut down Jugraj Singh who swerved around Brouwer as he was charging out from goal giving Jugraj time to fire a flick high to the left of the net past Guus Vogels in goal.

The second was made by Pillay, carrying possession through the middle of the pitch as Netherlands’ defence laid off him. Pillay’s pass to the right found Deepak Thakur who drove in between the post and Vogel’s pads.

Youngsters Deepak Thakur and Gagan Ajit Singh combined on the right for India’s third with Gagan scoring has second goal, defeating Guus Vogels with a bobbling ball.

India celebrated their third goal long and hard and the minds of the players were off the pitch as the Netherlands hit back with two goals in two minutes.

Rob Reckers weaved through the circle to score an individual goal from close range in the 63rd minute and Taeke Taekema fired in Netherlands’ sixth penalty corner attempt a minute later.

Floris Evers equalised with two minutes to play and the Indian team erupted. Baljit Singh Saini waved his stick threateningly in the face of England’s umpire Stephen Brooks and Pillay received a green, then a yellow card for remonstrating and crowding the umpire.

Tournament Director and Hobart lawyer, Ken Read came on to the pitch and escorted Pillay off, assisted by India’s coach Rajinder Singh.

Brouwer made amends for his earlier play by slotting the winning goal from the left with seconds on the clock.—AFP