Gold medal contenders Germany, the Netherlands, Australia and Pakistan scored crucial wins yesterday to step closer to the semi-finals of the Olympic men’s field hockey here. With two rounds of preliminary matches remaining, Germany (seven points) and Pakistan (six) lead Group A, while the Netherlands (nine points) and Australia (seven) are comfortably placed in Group B.
Spain, silver medalists at Atlanta in 1996, also joined the race in Group A with a 5-1 demolition of Britain that took them to five points.
The Dutch, seeking a hat trick of Olympic golds, fought back after being two goals down against South Africa to win 3-2 and record their third consecutive victory.
Karel Klaver scored the winner in the penultimate minute of the ill-tempered match in which the South Africans disputed the first goal by the Dutch which sparked the fightback.
Like the Dutch, Australia gained a last-gasp decider against India, who fought back from 1-3 in the 50th minute to draw level with two goals in as many minutes.
India were reduced to 10 men in the last six minutes when inspirational midfielder Dhanraj Pillay was sent off for a rough tackle, giving Australia a chance to attack and net the winner through Michael Brennan.
“I don’t think Pillay’s offense was so serious that he had to be sent off,” said Indian coach Gerhard Rach. “It proved costly in the end. We should have shared points in this game, now we are left with nothing.”
India are bunched together with New Zealand and South Africa on three points each.
Arch-rivals Pakistan, meanwhile, blanked Asian Games champions South Korea 3-0 with Rehan Butt scoring the first goal and setting up the second for Shakeel Abbasi.
Penalty-corner specialist Sohail Abbas completed Pakistan’s emphatic win with the third goal four minutes before the end.
“We deserved to win because we took the chances that came our way in the second half,” said Pakistan’s Dutch coach Roelant Oltmans.
“I don’t want my team to become complacent. We must win both our remaining matches and then the main task starts when the semi-finals come.”
Germany, held 1-1 till half-time by lowly Egypt, went on the offensive in the second to pump in five goals and complete a 6-1 rout.
Christopher Zeller and Christoph Bechmann scored two goals apiece, while Matthias Witthaus and Florian Kunz chipped in with one each.
Away from the limelight, New Zealand and Spain also prospered.
The Kiwis thrashed Argentina 3-1 with goals from Hayden Shaw, Bevan Hari and Phillip Burrows after Jorge Lombi had put the South Americans up in the seventh minute.
Spanish veteran Pol Amat and Santiago Friexa scored two goals each and Xavier Ribas one to end Britain’s hopes of making the semi-finals. Barry Middleton, denied a goal in the first five minutes by Indian umpire Satinder Kumar, scored a consolation goal for Britain 13 minutes before the final whistle.
