Tags:
Journalism of Courage
India blew away a 2-0 lead to crash to their third defeat in four matches with a 2-4 loss against Australia in the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup hockey tournament here today.
Dhanraj Pillay ended a long goal-drought with a double-strike in the 15th and 16th minutes to put India ahead 2-0 at the National Stadium. However, the Indians failed to drive home the advantage and allowed the Australians back into the match. Tristram Woodhouse (27th), Troy Elder (42nd), Ben Taylor (50th) and Grant Schubert (70th) ensured an Aussie success, their second in four outings.
After an excellent workout in the first-half, the Indians gradually faded as the Aussies, enjoying considerable space and freedom in the midfield, made the best of the situation. The Indians, thus, continue to occupy the last spot with just one point from the drawn game with Malaysia.
The first-half more or less belonged to India whose players showed considerable skill as well as gumption in standing up to the Aussies. The deep defence, marshalled by William Xalxo, put in a fine performance to repeatedly thwart the Aussies. Up front, the Indian counter-attacks assumed dangerous proportions thanks to some intelligent off-the-ball running on the wings that stretched the Aussie defence.
Korea recorded their first win in four matches with a 4-1 verdict against Spain.
The Koreans, who looked the more organised outfit, turned in a neat second-half performance with Lee Jung Seon (17th, 66th), Seo Jung Ho (42nd) and Yeo Woon Kon (65th) getting into the scoring act. The Spaniards, for whom skipper Juan Escarre (41st) scored the only goal, had little left in them once the Koreans began to step up the pace on resumption.
If the first-half was mostly about ball possession and some cat-and-mouse stuff, the second session was just as different. The Koreans virtually took the game by the scruff of its neck and effectively killed the Spanish challenge with a couple of late strikes.
Spain equalised early in the second-half when Escarre slotted home a rebound from open play.
However, the Koreans retaliated in style, repeatedly scything through an unsure Spanish defence to eventually win by a handsome margin that underlined their second-half dominance.(PTI)
