Argentina celebrate after beating India 2-1 in Ipoh, Malaysia.18/05/08
RESULTS: Final -- India 1 Argentina 1 (Argentina win on golden goal); Third-Fourth: New Zealand 2 Pakistan 1; Fifth-Sixth: Belgium 3 Canada 3 (Canada win on golden goal); Seventh: Malaysia.
MARIO Almada’s brace handed Argentina the Sultan Azlan Shah Trophy only after three attempts, when they beat India 2-1 in Ipoh yesterday.
The tournament was incepted in 1983, but Argentina made their debut in 2006 and ended seventh, and last year their were placed fifth. Both the times, the tournament had eight teams.
The match was tied 1-1 at regulation time, but Almada’s sudden-death deflection ended an Indian dream.
India were dangerous on the counter, but void of ideas when in the Argentine semi-circle, and muffed many chances before perfecting their first penalty corner won in the 11th minute.
Drag-flicker Sandeep Singh sent it to the right of goalkeeper Juan Manuel Vivaldi for the lead, and his ninth goal of the tournament.
Argentina draw level when Mario Almada slammed in a field goal from close range in the 14th minute. The final minute of the first half saw a skirmish, after a botched Argentine penalty corner, but no cards were flashed.
After the breather, the match turned robotic, as both sides played cautiously and only relied on counter-attacks. Argentina were the more dangerous side in the last five minutes, but failed to break the deadlock, and the match went into extra-time, sudden-death.
In the first minute itself, the golden goal came off a Mario Almada deflection, and the Argies got their hands on the Trophy after only three tries.
MARIO Almada’s brace handed Argentina the Sultan Azlan Shah Trophy only after three attempts, when they beat India 2-1 in Ipoh yesterday.
The tournament was incepted in 1983, but Argentina made their debut in 2006 and ended seventh, and last year their were placed fifth. Both the times, the tournament had eight teams.
The match was tied 1-1 at regulation time, but Almada’s sudden-death deflection ended an Indian dream.
India were dangerous on the counter, but void of ideas when in the Argentine semi-circle, and muffed many chances before perfecting their first penalty corner won in the 11th minute.
Drag-flicker Sandeep Singh sent it to the right of goalkeeper Juan Manuel Vivaldi for the lead, and his ninth goal of the tournament.
Argentina draw level when Mario Almada slammed in a field goal from close range in the 14th minute. The final minute of the first half saw a skirmish, after a botched Argentine penalty corner, but no cards were flashed.
After the breather, the match turned robotic, as both sides played cautiously and only relied on counter-attacks. Argentina were the more dangerous side in the last five minutes, but failed to break the deadlock, and the match went into extra-time, sudden-death.
In the first minute itself, the golden goal came off a Mario Almada deflection, and the Argies got their hands on the Trophy after only three tries.
