Argies knock out Aussies

18/10/2001

By Jugjet Singh in Hobart

ARGENTINA played to form and knocked out defending champions and hosts
Australia out of the semifinals of the Junior World Cup at the Tasmanian
Hockey Centre yesterday.
With the win Argentina are at the top of Group F and will meet England
in the crossover semifinals on Friday while India will meet Germany in
what is expected to be the thriller of the world cup.
Playing in Group F, India dazzled the crowd with some slick stick work
and put the Dutch out of the running with sheer determination and
excellent teamwork for a 4-3 win.
If asked to choose between India and Argentina, a very thin line will
separate both sides who have excellent forwards and defenders.
And since South Korea, who were whipped 7-3 by the Germans on Wednesday,
rebounded well and denied Spain a ticket to the last four with a 5-3 win,
they did England a favour.
Germany beat England to top Group E but England's fairytale run is
expected to come to an abrupt end on Friday.
Argentina have never seen action in the semifinal level of the junior or
senior world cup, so the Germans will have to bring out their best to make
the final.
Argentina scored the first goal in the 22nd minute when Juan Gilardi
hammered home a penalty corner and the ausies, who needed a clear win,
were in trouble.
In the 66th minute, Australia scored off a penalty corner when Lachlan
Vivian Taylor was on target and from then on they tries their best to seal
the match but the speedy Argies defended well and were dangerous in the
counter attacks.
Australia badly needed a goal and with one minute remaining in the
match, all 10 players went upfront and were in the semicircle when
Argentine defender Lucas Rey took control and sent the ball to the Aussie
semicircle. With 27 seconds on the clock, Argentina won a penalty corner
and Juan e Garreta made sure of a place in the finals.
India on the other hand were on top of the match all the time and scored
two goals in the seventh (Ajit Singh Gagan) and the 10th minutes (Jugraj
Singh) to put pressure on the Dutch but could not break them.
Holland came back in the 17th (Roderick Weather) and in the 22nd minutes
(Mathijs van Weerd) and the match was wide open again.
In the 48th minute, India went up again when Prabhjot Singh scored a
field goal. But a minute later, Holland won a penalty corner and rob
reckers made it 3-3.
India were not to be denied their day and in the 57th minute, Kamal
Singh scored a penalty corner and the Dutch became desperate. With five
seconds on the clock, Holland won a penalty corner and there was total
silence at the Tasmanian hockey centre as the crowd did not even dare to
breathe.
Holland missed and India went into the semis.
(END)