AMSTELVEEN, Aug 24: Teun de Nooiyer had a hand in two late goals as Olympic champions the Netherlands beat Australia 4-2 to retain the Champions Trophy at the Wagener Stadium on Sunday.
De Nooiyer put his side 3-2 ahead in the final quarter after flicking over the Australian goalkeeper’s head, and then set up their fourth goal six minutes later as the Dutch became the first team to retain the title since Australia in 1992.
De Nooiyer was named player of the tournament while Australia, World Cup finalists, had to settle for their second silver medal in the event in three years.
Twice Australia equalised, but each time the Netherlands hit back quickly to regain their lead.
Matthijs Brouwer put the home team ahead, as he did in the pool match won 5-3 by the Netherlands, by deflecting a 24th-minute free hit by Dutch captain Jeroen Delmee.
Australia levelled five minutes later from their fourth corner, Craig Victory cracking in the rebound from a Matthew Wells shot, his reverse stick shot flashing between the Dutch goalkeeper’s pads.
But defending champions responded less than a minute later when Piet-Hein Geeris smashed a superb reverse stick shot into goal off the inside of a post.
Although Australia finished with an overall corner advantage of 8-1, they did not make the most of their set-piece drills. Troy Elder finally scored from their seventh attempt in the 60th minute to level at 2-2.
Once again, though, the Dutch hit back soon after as the Australians were caught napping.
De Nooiyer, so often a match-winner for the Netherlands in the past, dribbled forward skillfully and flicked over the Australian goalkeeper to restore their lead.
Six minutes later with Australia pressing forward, their defence was again exposed, de Nooiyer setting up Karel Klaver for a well-taken fourth goal.
PAKISTAN WIN BRONZE
Pakistan avenged their recent defeat to arch-rivals India to win 4-3 and claim third place thanks to a Rehan Butt winner in the dying moments.
As India had to content with fourth place - only two days after beating Pakistan a record 7-4 - Pakistan’s fans charged the pitch to celebrate immediately after the hooter.
With their previous encounter still fresh in memory, both teams played with little urgency in the first quarter.
Sohail Abbas had one penalty corner flick which Devesh Chauhan saved low on his left pad and Kashif Jawwad had one powerful shot on goal which went wide.
Both teams came alive in the second quarter with Gagan Ajit Singh combining with Prabhjot Singh on the left, working possession into the circle along the left backline twice to get three good shots on goal which Ahmad Alam saved.
Gagan continued to push through the middle combining with captain Dhanraj Pillay to regain possession in the circle and run straight at Ahmad, drawing a penalty stroke when a defender’s stick prevented Gagan from making his shot.
Jugraj Singh converted the stroke into the middle of the net as Ahmad went to his left (26th minute).
Jugraj drew a penalty corner infringement when he was adjudged to have put the ball over the backline deliberately and Sohail equalised with a flick high inside the left post (31st minute).
Gagan and Prabhjot combined again through the middle in the last seconds of the first half to gain the go-ahead goal with Gagan pushing to the left post for Prabhjot to push in behind Ahmad (35th minute) taking India to a 2-1 lead at the break.
Pakistan started the second half with more purpose and forced its third penalty corner for Sohail to flick and find the crossbar. Kashif drove in the rebound with a powerful backstick along the pitch from the left of goal (42nd minute) to equalise again at 2-2.
India went ahead 3-2 after Baljit Singh Dhillon received a pass from Viren Rasquinha in the midfield to hit high across goal where Deepak Thakur leaped high to deflect the ball into the net at the right post (50th minute). Viren played the match of his life in midfield.
Sohail had three more penalty corners in the third quarter but converted none.
In the last ten minutes Pakistan strengthened its defence to repel India’s expected counter-attacks and pressed India in their defensive quarter, earning its eighth penalty corner of the match.
This time Sohail went low to the left post and scored with a more powerful flick than his previous two attempts (61st minute) to equalise again at 3-3.
Prabhjot had the left post defeat his powerful backstick shot from the left of the top of the circle exposing Pakistan’s defence for the only time in the last quarter.
In the last five minutes Pakistan went for the win, risking an additional player forward to pressure India’s defence yet exposing Pakistan’s midfield to India’s counter-attack.
The tactic worked as Pakistan gained possession in the midfield, Shabbir Hussain intercepting India’s outlet pass from defence and swept into attack along the right.
As he did at the Champions Trophy in Cologne last year, Rehan scored the winning goal to break the deadlock and put Pakistan ahead 4-3, accepting Shabbir’s pass and flicking over Devesh Chauhan sliding out feet first to claim the bronze medal for Pakistan
Argentina defeated Germany 2-1 to take fifth place and leave Germany winless in the tournament.—Reuters/AFP
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