India tastes defeat again

Australia 1 - South Africa 1: Germany 2 - India 0

By S. Thyagarajan

SYDNEY, APRIL 8.An immaculate performance in every layer by Germany gave India little scope and space to make a match of it on day two of the four nation pre-Olympic hockey tournament at Homebush this evening. A second defeat for India in as many matches is bound to raise apprehensions over the efficacy of getting trained in this country for a couple of weeks. But that will be a wrong assumption, given the improvement in certain areas, notably the defence and goal-keeping.

What India could not produce was a combined attack even when the German defence looked vulnerable in the last quarter. In fact, the first and only penalty corner for India surfaced seven minutes before the hooter. There were moments that raised visions of India reducing the margin but they evaporated because the finish was not matching the creative effort.

Masters of set play and programmed to using the length, breadth and depth in the field, the Germans held the advantage right through. They were near perfect in trapping and worked out moves that created enough space for every player to move on. Christoph Bechmann was the pick of the frontline as was Christian Mayerhofer on the right and Bjorn Michel in the mid- field.

Much before the Indians could warm up, the Germans struck twice. Though the latter were prevented from enlarging the 2-0 verdict after the first quarter in the match, the Indians laboured to fashion one tactical move to unsettle the defence where the gangling Florian Kunz and the energetic Michael Green were a tower of strength. One can be tempted to blame goal-keeper Jude Menezes for not being able to tackle the two penalty corners that went in. But his splendid showing in the second half-heart- warming in every sense, makes one feel guilty of identifying him as cause for the verdict.

Germany was not successful with penalty corners initially. But midway through it pumped in two in succession. The first came from Bjorn Emmerling, a blinder of a flick followed by an equally eye catching scoop from Bjorn Michel. Admittedly, the award which produced the second goal for Germany was a harsh decision by the Aussie umpire, Gentiles, who penalised Deepak Thakur for a back stick infringement committed beyond the 25-yard circle near the sideline.

Minutes after the push off, India went without the services of Baljit Dhillon, who walked out holding his groin. Obviously, he has not recovered from the injury he sustained after crashing into the post in the opening match against Australia. Even Dhanraj was sidelined briefly with a painful shin injury in a penalty corner exercise.

Looking the injuries from another standpoint, they seemed a blessing. For, two young attackers, Deepak Thakur and Gagan Ajit Singh spent more time on the field than they normally do. But at no point did the attack take a menacing note. What sustained the tempo was the mid-field work where Ramandeep Singh, Sukhbir Singh Gill and Thirumaval played their part diligently. Evidence of the attack gaining traces of ascendancy came only after resumption. There was a phase during which it looked as though a goal was imminent. In the early minutes, a crafty pass by Riaz put Gagan Ajit Singh on the run and the latter's push was not well used by Deepak Thakur. Again, Deepak Thakur fumbled with a neat pass by Samir Dad. A Pillay-Ajit Singh surge beat every defender but the powerful shot by Gagan was deflected smartly by goal-keeper Christopher Reitz.

If Germany went goal-less in the second half, the credit for it should go to Jude Menezes. He blocked three penalty corners, earning the approbation of the crowd. One stop off Eike Duckwitz was a classy effort.

There was enough justification for the South Africans to feel elated over the outcome against Australia. Not only has the verdict restored a modicum of confidence to the team but it obliterated the odium of the humiliating defeat suffered at the hands of the Germans on the opening day. Today the South Africans played a few inspiring spells, defended their goal with assurance, and made the Aussies look totally out of gear, even unimpressive.

The Aussies did command the mid-field in the early part of the match. Paul Gaudoin and Daniel Sproule helped the veteran Jay Stacy to spray passes with a precision. The Aussie attack, on the contrary, was not sharp enough. Barring a few moves here and there by Craig Victory and Mathew Smith, the frontline lacked the unison, which is very unusual in an Aussie sally.

The only goal for Australia came in the early minutes thanks to the opportunism of Jay Stacy. Picking up a mispass from Craig Jackson near the 25-yard, Jay Stacy, playing in his 298th international, swerved around a couple of defenders, and produced a wristy flick. Even as Mathew Smith lunged for the ball, a defender came in, but too late to prevent it from rolling over the goal-line.

Barring that bright moment in the first half, the Aussies had precious little to celebrate. It was South Africa which enhanced pressure at the rival end, forcing as many as six penalty corners in the first half, four coming off in a row. However, it must be conceded that the home team's rookie goal- keeper Mark Hickman displayed commendable reflexes and confidence to keep the Aussies out of harm's way. Some of his saves were excellent. Neither Greg Nicol nor Justin King could disturb the composure of this Aussie colt.

The South African goal-keeper, Brian Myburgh, who was pathetic under the bar against the Germans, had obviously cast away that bad spell today. He exuded an aura of assurance in his work; effected a couple of splendid saves. The one he stopped from a scoop by Troy Elmer was a beauty.

Early in the second half, South Africa struck, Greg Nicol finding the target from a pass by Steve Evans. Understandably, the South Africans jumped for joy. The goal acted as a tonic, and a just reward too, at that point. From then on, the South Africans went all out for one more goal, inspired by the equaliser. The teams had a penalty corner each in this part of the game. It was Mark Hickman again who thwarted the lead for South Africa off a push by Greg Nicol.

With six points from two games, Germany starts as the favourite in the last match to come against Australia tomorrow.

Tomorrow's matches: India v South Africa; Australia v Germany

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