MADRAS, 19 December 2005 — Power-packed Australia won the men’s Champions Trophy field hockey title with a 3-1 romp over the Netherlands in a rain-drenched final here yesterday.
Matthew Wells, Liam de Young and Jamie Dwyer scored for the Kookaburras, who repeated the success they enjoyed against the Dutch in the Olympic final in Athens last year.
Taeke Taekema reduced the margin four minutes before the final whistle, but the Dutch were outplayed by the superior Australians, who gained five penalty corners and conceded just one.
The title clash, played in heavy rain here, was suspended for 20 minutes in the second half when puddles formed on the synthetic surface and made it difficult for players to hit the floating ball.
Australia, who last won the Champions Trophy at home in Brisbane in 1999, equaled Germany’s record of eight titles in field hockey’s elite competition. “It’s just awesome,” said Australian coach Barry Dancer, whose team skipped last year’s event in Lahore, Pakistan due to security reasons.
Earlier, defending champions Spain brushed aside Germany 5-2 to take the bronze in another game hit by rain.
Veteran Pol Amat and Santiago Freixa scored two goals each for Spain, who had won their maiden Champions Trophy title in Lahore last December.
Pakistan relegated India from next year’s tournament in Spain with a 4-3 win in the play-off for 5-6 places.
Pakistan, trailing 0-2 by the 14th minute, scored on either side of the interval to draw level with India and then pumped in two more goals to seal a splendid victory.
India, who had defeated Pakistan 3-2 in the preliminary league last week, narrowed the margin through captain Gagan Ajit Singh five minutes from the end, but failed to get the equalizer.
India, beaten by Pakistan in a Champions Trophy classification match for the fourth consecutive year, will not feature in next year’s tournament in Spain. Kanwalpreet Singh scored off India’s first penalty corner and Prabhjot Singh deflected in a pass from the right as the hosts took a 2-0 lead in the first quarter.
Pakistan, who finished last in the league, made it 1-2 just before half-time when Mohammad Imran converted the first of three penalty corners the team earned in quick succession.
