PERTH, 30 May 2003 — Australia beat India 2-0 here yesterday to march into Sunday’s tri-nations challenge series final as Australia A managed a shock 5-3 win over Pakistan, leaving Pakistan facing an uphill battle.
An on-form Australia will be a strong favorite in the decider. They already whipped Pakistan 3-0 in the opening encounter of the contest a day earlier.
Australia began brightly against India, who finished fourth at last year’s Champions’ Trophy tournament, with striker Tristram Woodhouse poaching a goal in the third minute. The 28-year-old pounced on a favorable rebound from Indian goalkeeper Devesh Chauhan to score his second goal in international company.
The visitors hotly disputed the goal, believing the ball went over the backline beforehand, but the goal stood. With Australia failing to control the midfield, India threatened to equalize through one of their many penetrating counterattacks.
Only fine work by goalkeeper Mick Hickman foiled strikers Prabjot Singh and Gagan Ajit Singh, ensuring Australia led 1-0 at halftime. Early in the second half, Australian midfielder Brent Livermore was given plenty of space to create a goal in the 44th minute.
His pass to Woodhouse was deflected past Chauhan, with Michael McCann knocking the ball over the line. The four-team competition is an important lead-up event to August’s Champions’ Trophy in the Netherlands and next year’s Olympics in Athens.
In yesterday’s second game, Australia A striker Andrew Smith opened the scoring in the 12th minute before Adam Commens’ spectacular diving effort for the second, two minutes later.
But Pakistan’s Ghazanfar Ali clinically converted from a penalty corner in the 15th minute before teenager Steven Boyce added Australia A’s third shortly after to make it 3-1. Ali again found a path through the secondary side’s penalty corner defense in the 29th minute to reduce the deficit before the tourists were again exposed before the break.
Lucas Judge slipped behind goalkeeper Ahmed Alam to follow-up Robbie Hammond’s powerful drive and tap home from close range in the 33rd minute, making it 4-2 for Australia’s second string side at the interval. Judge deflected an excellent pass from Zain Wright into the net to seal the result for Australia’s young hopefuls in the 60th minute.
