HOCKEY: The Australian Men's Hockey Team have sealed their place in the final of the Hockey Champions Trophy 2016 after the fight back from India came too late to stop the Australians.
Australia had the first chance to get on the scoreboard with a penalty corner ten minutes into the game, but after an injection by Daniel Beale and trap by Simon Orchard the goal went unconverted. At quarter time the score remained tied at nil all in the last pool game for the teams.
The Australians again had the first chance going into the second quarter with a penalty corner three minutes in, however the injection from Glenn Turner and trap by Matthew Swann again could not be converted.
A minute later an obstruction on Turner scored the Kookaburras another chance to goal with a penalty corner, but the opportunity was missed. On their fifth chance at a penalty corner, Trent Mitton got the conversion giving Australia their first goal and the lead over India.
Only three minutes later, and Aran Zalewski fired the Kookaburras into action with a field goal, extending the lead to two nil going in to the half time break.
The third quarter saw Australia get two opportunities for penalty corners in the first three minutes, with both chances missed.
Australia kept fighting and in the 35th minute of play, Flynn Ogilvie extended Australia’s lead to 3 – nil with a slick field goal just metres from the net. India replied by getting the ball back to their end of the pitch, but it wasn’t to be.
India wasn’t going down without a fight and got their first penalty corner opportunity with three minutes to go in the third quarter. Raghunath Vokkaliga scored a penalty corner for India in the last minute of the quarter to get them on the board. Australia answered immediately with the ball flying down to their circle for Tristan White to score a field goal from a deflection from Glenn Turner.
Mandeep Singh continued the scoring streak, with a field goal for India minutes into the final quarter of play.
Fifty-six minutes in and India had two opportunities to get their score up with penalty corners, followed by a scramble at the net but goalkeeper Tyler Lovell was all over the net and blocked every opportunity.
Australia stormed away with the victory and their place in the final of the Champions Trophy 2016.
Kookaburras Head Coach Graham Reid said: “I was happy with the first three quarters it was just that last quarter was really disappointing. We gave them some easy opportunities, allowed them in and they took advantage of it.
“Part of the objective of this tour was to be able to string four quarters together, and we just struggled a bit with that today. Tomorrow is the game now that we need to focus on, and we don’t even know who we’ll be playing yet.”
Captaining the Kookaburras Aran Zalewski said: “It was a good hit out today, 4 – 2 against India and they proved difficult in the second half.
“I’m looking forward to tomorrows match, we don’t know who we’re playing but we’re going to prepare accordingly. We’re really excited and we’re going to be up for it.”
The Kookaburras will next play in the final on Friday evening at 8.15pm BST / 3.15am AWST (Saturday 18) / 5.15am AEST (Saturday 18), with their opponent dependent on the outcome of the games between Korea and Germany, and Great Britain versus Belgium.
Kookaburras’ squad v India
Daniel Beale (Brisbane, QLD) 80/15
Tim Deavin (Launceston, TAS) 131/6
Blake Govers (Wollongong, NSW) 31/26
Jeremy Hayward (Darwin, NT) 59/17
Tyler Lovell (Perth, WA) 69/0
Flynn Ogilvie (Wollongong, NSW) 33/12
Simon Orchard (Maitland, NSW) 202/56
Andrew Philpott (Melbourne, VIC) 28/1
Matthew Swann (Mackay, QLD) 140/6
Glenn Turner (Goulburn, NSW) 129/93
Tristan White (Wollongong, NSW) 80/6
Used Substitute
Josh Beltz (Hobart, TAS) 14/2
Matthew Dawson (Killarney Vale, NSW) 46/7
Trent Mitton (Perth, WA) 93/35
Eddie Ockenden (Hobart, TAS) 277/65
Aran Zalewski (Margaret River, WA) 91/12
Unused Substitute
Andrew Charter (Canberra, ACT) 113/0
Chris Ciriello (Melbourne, VIC) 188/114
Kookaburras’ Fixtures
Friday June 17, 8.15pm BST / 3.15am AWST (Saturday 18) / 5.15am AEST (Saturday 18)
Hockey Australia
