Toss between Japan and South Africa..

China 2, Japan 3

For China, today’s 3-2 loss against Japan in a do-or-die match must be considered the one that got away. Ahead 2-1 with 12 minutes left, China conceded two goals and ultimately lost its place in Sunday’s final as they watched their Asian rival earn the berth instead.
    Kazuhiro Tsubouchi sealed the victory with just seconds left in regulation when he found himself on a breakaway with an empty net after China pulled its goalie for the extra attacker. The crowd jumped on its feet as the game-winner clanked on the back board of the goal.
   Japan found itself constantly on defense as China came out with an aggressive attack. Perhaps at times the attack was too aggressive as Japan’s first two goals were the result of Chinese shenanigans in the circle, resulting in a penalty stroke and a penalty corner goal.
   China opened up an early lead when Na Yubo deflected the ball in on a penalty corner attempt. After the goal, Japan kept finding itself with breakaway chances, but continually fired off mark. The equalizer came with seven minutes left in the half when Koji Kayukawa went to the lower left corner on a penalty stroke to level things at one. But Yubo struck again, this time with an odd angle goal that caught Japan off guard making it a 2-1 affair at the half.
    Japan’s best, and virtually only, chances came on the penalty corner in the second half and with 12 minutes left in the game, they finally took advantage of one of the opportunities when Katsuyoshi Nagasawa flicked in a beautiful shot to the upper corner, evening things at two. Japan was nearly given a penalty stroke on the play, but after the umpires conferred it was made a penalty corner. The goal had to have been frustrating for the Chinese who were clearly the more offensive team in the half, swarming the Japan net much of the time.
    China put complete pressure on Japanese net in the waning minutes of the game, but couldn’t get the go-ahead goal. In a must-win situation, the Chinese had no choice but to pull the goalkeeper leading to the empty net marker.
    Japan’s win took the pressure off South Africa, who entered the late game against Austria with their place already booked in the final against Japan.
   

South Africa 2, Austria 2

South Africa knew it was in Sunday’s final game regardless of the outcome of its last round robin game, which might help explain today’s flat 2-2 draw against Austria. But credit must be given to the Austrians who managed to do what only one other team as this tournament has done – tie the top-seeded South Africans.
    Austria’s Michael Korper has been the go-to man for the Austrians, so it seemed only fitting that he scored on his team’s first short corner chance to give the Austria the surprising 1-0 lead midway through the first half.
    South Africa came out in the second half rearing to go and finally netted the equalizer when captain Austin Smith fired in a short corner 15 minutes into the half. Austria took the lead again after Georg Jelinek scooped the ball in after a prolonged stay in the circle. But again Smith was there with the answer, tying the game at two with virtually the exact same penalty corner shot as his first marker. 
    South Africa will certainly need to bring a different game in Sunday’s final against Japan if it wants to make it to the London Games, but with little on the line today, they can be forgiven for having an off game. Austria will face China in the third place game on Sunday.

    Czech Republic 5, Brazil 0

The Czech Republic earned its first win of the tournament with a convincing 5-0 victory against Brazil. The teams will meet again on Sunday in the fifth-place game.
   The victory was a total team effort for the Czechs with five different players scoring the five goals. Four of the goals came from the open field, while the lone penalty corner marker was flicked in by Tomas Prochazka.
   The perky Czechs put in one of their best performances of the tournament, playing a solid game and allowing very few mistakes. At the half the Czechs held a convincing 3-0 lead and the advantage allowed the team to relax a bit and focus on offense rather than its defensive mindset it had in previous games.
   Another two second half goals, coming 20 minutes apart, put the icing on the cake of the first win. Brazil is still winless at the event and will look to rebound in the fifth-place game.

Beat Korea at all cost...

MALAYSIA v IRAN: Faizal Saari (standing at the back) was a mere spectator in this match. Malaysia won 6-1 but were unconvincing.

MALAYSIA will throw everything they have against South  Korea in the Junior Asia Cup today, as a defeat might just cost  them a place in the World Cup.
    Although they still have the Japan match in hand on  Monday, coach K. Dharmaraj is not willing to take any  hiccups.
    “To be frank, South Korea had an off day just like Malaysia,  but still beat Japan 4-1 because they were sharper in the  semi-circle.
    “Japan were the better side, and it would be dangerous to  drop any points before meeting them.
    “I will throw everything I have against Korea, and ease the  pressure in our last group match,” said Dharmaraj.
     The Koreans would also not be sitting pretty, as a win  would ensure them a World Cup berth, as they only have Iran  to beat after that.
    The Junior Asia Cup offers four tickets to the World Cup in  New Delhi next year, including the automatic berth of hosts  India.
    “We must beat Korea at all cost to virtually qualify for the  World Cup with the Japan match in hand.
    “There is no other path, as I do not want to go into the Japan  match on Monday under pressure,” said Dharmaraj.
     Malaysia beat Iran 6-1 on Thursday, but were  off colour  and Dharmaraj believes the jitters are over.
    “It was a win, but not the kind of game that I would like to  see my boys play against Korea and Japan. The basics were  bad, and it was lucky that the penalty corner goals came even  though Iran were running kamikaze against our flickers,”  said Dharmaraj.
    The senior team also had two chance to qualify for the final  of the Dublin Olympic Qualifier, but they blew their first  against South Korea and the pressure of playing Ireland next  was too much to handle.
    “I was in Dublin, and know that there is no second chance.  It is now or never against Korea in Malacca,” said Dhar maraj.
    RESULTS -- Group B: Pakistan x China x, India x Sri  Lanka  x
    TODAY:  (Group A): Japan v Iran (6.05pm), Malaysia v  Korea  (8.05pm).
   TOMORROW: China v Sri Lanka (Group B) (4.05pm); India  vs  Pakistan  (Group B) (6.05pm); Korea v Iran (Group A)   (8.05pm).
   May 7: China v India (Group B) (4.05pm); Pakistan v Sri   Lanka (Group  B) (6.05pm); Japan v Malaysia (Group A)   (8.05pm).
   NOTE:  Matches at MBM Stadium in Malacca.

Malaysia win, but bad play...

MALAYSIA started with a wobbly gait, when they beat Iran 6-1 in the Junior Asia Cup in Malacca yesterday.
   The surprise of the day was when Noraniyan Hamid, managed to score a goal against Malaysia in the 20th minute.
   Skipper Nor Faez Ibrahim saved the blushes with a hat-trick in the fifth, 10th and 38th, while Amir Farid (18th, 61st), Firhan Ashaari (29th),
  Malaysia’s true test will be against South Korea tomorrow, where a win will virtually place them in the Junior World Cup.
  In another Group A match, Korea opened their campaign with a 4-1 win over Japan.
   Korea took the lead in the  sixth minute off their first penalty corner when You Seung Ju put it past Japanese keeper Kusano Daisuke.
   After that, the Koreans placed two men up front at all time, and Seo Inwoo and Hwang Taeli created many chances.
   However, Japan injected hope into their match when they equalised off  Hoshi Suguru in the 27th minute.
   But the Koreans powered ahead with a penalty stroke from skipper Yang Jihun (31st), Jeong Young Seok (59th) and Seo Inwoo (63rd).
  RESULTS -- Group A: Korea 4 Japan 1, Malaysia 6 Iran 1.
  TODAY -- Group B: Pakistan v China (6.05pm), India v Sri Lanka (8.05pm) -- matches at MBM Stadium.

Bizarre goal raises London fears

LONDON — Germany beat Great Britain 3-1 in the test event at the Olympic Park but their opening goal prompted concerns about possible controversy at the 2012 Games if rules were strictly enforced.
    After a goalless first half, Germany were the first team to emerge for the start of the second period.
   When the countdown clock on the scoreboard reached zero, the umpires re-started the match even though several British players were still making their way back onto the pitch.
   Germany's Florian Fuchs then deflected the ball into an empty net.
   Christophe Zeller and Moritz Furste increased Germany's lead before Britain's Ashley Jackson pulled one back for the hosts from the penalty spot.
   "I think we had six or seven on the pitch and the umpires were told to start. It doesn't look great on anyone's part really," Jackson told the BBC.
   Germany coach Markus Weise said: "To me it sounds like a typical hockey thing. I can't imagine other sports starting (like that).
   "It's a very strange rule, probably provided by TV, that a game starts when the countdown is at zero. I don't want to be in a position without 11 players on the pitch and a game starting. It's a bit strange."
   Great Britain coach Jason Lee insisted his team hadn't been time-wasting.
   "It wasn't like we were four or five minutes late, we were 10 or 15 seconds late," Lee said. "But in hockey the ball goes so fast that you can't really get into position at that point.
    "The changing rooms are a little bit further (away from the pitch) than what we'd expect."
    Australia, the world's number one ranked men's side, beat India 3-0 thanks to goals from Russell Ford, Matt Gohdes and Luke Doerner.
   In the women's tournament, Great Britain saw Alex Danson mark her 50th appearance with the only goal of the game in a 1-0 win over South Korea.
   Argentina, the reigning world champions, defeated China 3-0.

Malaysian women blow up again..

THE Malaysian women’s hockey team lost 3-2 to Austria in the Olympic Qualifiers in Kakamigahara, Japan, yesterday.
    The women will again meet Austria in the fifth-sixth playoff, on Saturday.
    It was Malaysia’s fourth defeat in the tournament, and the only point they have to show is the 2-2 draw against Belarus.
    Yesterday, Austria took the lead, but Malaysia scored two goals and went into the breather with a 2-1 score.
    However, the Austrian girls scored two more goals in the second half.
   Japan qualified for the final with a 4-0 win over Belarus, and will play Azerbaijan for the Olympic ticket.
    RESULTS: Malaysia 2 Austria 3, Japan 4 Belarus 0, Azerbaijan 2 Chile 2.