AMSTERDAM, 17 August 2003 — Pakistan and India lost commanding leads in the last seven minutes of their matches with Australia and Netherlands respectively on the opening day of the 25th Champions Trophy here yesterday.
Pakistan drew with Australia 3-3 after leading 4-2 with seven minutes to play while India lost 3-4 to Netherlands after holding a 3-0 lead, also with seven minutes on the clock. “Countries like Holland, Australia and Germany push very hard in the last 10 minutes of a match and we must learn to deal with that,” said India captain Pillay Dhanraj.
Australia’s defense was not well organized and allowed Pakistan too much room to run at their defense. Pakistan scored two goals in the first 11 minutes and Australia played catch-up throughout the match.
The 3-2 midway scoreline had Australia still in the match but Pakistan looked to have put the result out of their opponents’ reach with a sizzling 62nd minute goal from Salim Khalid.
But true to Dhanraj’s words, Australia made a comeback. Dean Butler scored a field goal and Grant Schubert scored his second goal on debut in an international tournament to convert a penalty corner after the final hooter and equalize at 4-4.
India dominated Netherlands for 65 minutes of their match, although Netherlands held India to a scoreless first half before a deluge of seven goals rained down in the second half.
India’s three goals were skillful. Jugraj Singh converted a penalty corner with a swerve to the left around Brouwer firing a flick high to the left of the net past Guus Vogels in goal after 44 minutes.
Dhanraj made India’s second goal, with Deepak Thakur completing the move with a strike between the post and Vogel’s pads after 51 minutes. Youngsters Deepak and Gagan Ajit Singh combined on the right for India’s third goal in the 62nd with Gagan given credit for the goal which Dhanraj later said was scored by Deepak.
India celebrated their third goal, forgetting that defender Dilip Tirkey had hobbled from the pitch injured a minute before which helped the Netherlands to score two goals in two minutes immediately after India’s third goal.
Rob Reckers scored an individual goal from close range in the 63rd minute and Taeke Taekema fired in Netherlands’ sixth penalty corner attempt a minute later.
Floris Evers equalized with two minutes to play and the Indian team erupted. Baljit Singh Saini waved his stick threateningly in the face of England’s umpire Stephen Brooks and Dhanraj received a green, then a yellow card for remonstrating and crowding the umpire.
Tournament Director Ken Read came on to the pitch and escorted Dhanraj off, assisted by India’s coach Rajinder Singh. Ronald Brouwer made amends for his earlier play by slotting the winning goal from the left of goal with seconds on the clock to allow Netherlands to take the win 4-3.
Today, Pakistan play Argentina followed by Netherlands against Australia and India against Germany.
