Malaysia finish last

10/06/2002

AUSTRALIA ......6 INDIA .......... 0
KOREA ..........3 MALAYSIA..........2
SOUTH Korea beat Malaysia 3-2 with an extra-time goal in the Four-Nation's
third-place playoff in Melbourne yesterday.
Malaysia played Korea three times in the Four-Nation and went down on
all three occassions (3-0 and 3-1). But yesterday, the national side gave
a good account of themselves before losing out in extra-time.
In the final, Australia hammered India 6-0 to keep a clean slate in the
Four-Nation by winning all seven matches.
In the playoff, Korea opened scoring in the 17th minute off a Woon Kon-
Yeo penalty stroke.
But Malaysia got back into the match before the break when Fakrul Razi
lunged in for the equaliser.
Sung Hoon-Yoon put the Koreans ahead for the second time in the 51st
minute before Malaysian skipper S. Kuhan slammed home a late equaliser in
the 67th minute.
But Woon's second strike, off a penalty corner in the 76th minute,
sealed the match for the Olympic silver medallists.
The Australian goalscorers yesterday were Troy Elder (4th), Michael
McCann (5th), Craig Victory (9th), Jamie Dwyer (28th, 48th), Aaron Hopkins
(65th).
Australia, the Kuala Lumpur Commonwealth Games gold medallists, named 16
players for the Manchester Games and look good to retain their title after
a promising display in the Four-Nation.
Only four members of the Australian team that won gold in the KL
Commonwealth Games four years ago were included with Sydney Olympics,
striker Adam Commens among the notable absentees.
The four are skipper Paul Gaudoin, goalkeeper Mark Hickman, Brent
Livermore and Matthew Smith.
The selectors stuck largely with the squad which won the silver medal in
the KL World Cup, but two-time Olympian Daniel Sproule was not considered
for personal reasons and forward Jeremy Hiskins missed out.
The Australian Commonwealth Games Squad: Paul Gaudoin (capt), Matthew
Wells, Mark Hickman, Steve Lambert, Bevan George, Aaron Hopkins, Dean
Butler, Brent Livermore, Liam De Young, Troy Elder, Scott Webster, Ben
Taylor, Jamie Dwyer, Craig Victory, Matthew Smith, Michael McCann.
(END)