Hockey World League Final, highlights: Australia enter semis with crushing 7-2 win over India
Hosts India took a 2-0 lead but were outplayed by Australia who banged in seven goals to clinch their semifinal berth.
- NDTVSports
- Updated: January 15, 2014 09:48 PM IST
# Its all over! Australia have strolled into the semis with a comprehensive 7-2 win over hosts India. They now join Netherlands, England and New Zealand in the semifinals.
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# On the other side, Jacob Whetton fires home to take Australia's tally to seven, just five and half minutes away from full time. This has been a demolition from the world champions.
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# A good attacking play from Lakra hands India a penalty corner. Their attempt strikes an advancing defender and hands them another penalty corner which is fired wide by India.
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# A poor back pass from the Australian gave Yuvraj Walmiki a chance to go one-on-one with the goal-keeper but he fired it wide . Ind 2 Aus 6.
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# More misery for India as they fail to convert a penalty corner. Raghunath fires the ball wide. Ind 2 Aus 6.
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# India concede two more goals in a span of three minutes. First it was Simon Orchard who converted through a good finish while Russell Ford got his second of the game just a couple of minutes later to take Australia's tally to six goals to India's two.
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# Defensive lapse from India has given Australia a chance to increase their lead. Russell Ford scores to take Australia's tally to 4 in the 40th minute.
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# Glenn Turner taps the ball into the goal in the final minute of the first half to help Australia take a 3-2 lead over India at half-time.
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# Australia have put the game back in the balance with their second goal, just six minutes from time. Ind 2 Aus 2.
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# Indian custodian maintains his side's slender lead as he makes a close-range save to deny Australia their second goal. Ind 2 Aus 1.
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# Australia have pulled one back. They convert the penalty corner this time to reduce India's lead. Nicholas Budgeon, the scorer. Ind 2 Aus 1.
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# Australia have been attacking in numbers from the start of the game but haven't been successful at breaching India's defense.
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# The crowd chants in New Delhi have risen to a new decibel level as India go 2-0 up in the 10th minute through a goal from Yuvraj Walmiki. This goal was created on the counter after Australia missed their chance to go level when they didn't convert a penalty corner.
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# What a start for the hosts. They have opened the scoring in only the sixth minute of the game. Birendra Lakra, the goal-scorer.
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# Australia's Glenn Turner is playing in his 100th game for his national side. He'd hope to end it on a high with a semis spot for his side.
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# A good crowd has turned up at the Major Dhyan Chand stadium in New Delhi. A lot of Indian flags are seen fluttering in the stands as the teams line-up for their national anthem.
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Hosts India gear up to take on world champions Australia, with a semifinal spot at stake. Earlier today, Netherlands knocked out Olympic champions England to book a spot in the semis while England overcame the Belgian challenge to advance to the final four. New Zealand have just edged past Argentina on penalties to reach the semis. Over to India and Australia now to complete the top four.
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Indian coach satisfied with draw
Indian team coach Terry Walsh said he was satisfied with his side's performance in the game that saw them salvage a thrilling 3-3 draw against Olympic champions Germany. Despite conceding a goal in the dying stages of the game, Walsh felt his side played with a lot authority.
"We did several things better today. We were trying to improve in different areas. We played better against a quality opponent like Germany. I think the opponents didn't play that well today," Walsh said at the post-match press conference.
"We were fighting to give us an opportunity to play against Argentina which didn't materialise. We played with much more authority and quality. The defence was very well organised," he added.India's uphill task
Hosts India have failed to notch up a win in the tournament so far, but a spirited 3-3 draw against Germany will give them some much-needed confidence for their quarterfinal tie against Australia. Despite their best efforts coming against Germany, Sardar Singh & Co. face an uphill task against Australia.
Australia top Pool B
Despite losing their group stage game to Netherlands, two wins -- against Belgium and Argentina -- helped world champions Australia lead the points table in Pool B. They face hosts India in the quarterfinal at the back of a thumping 6-1 win over Argentina. Can the hosts stop them in their tracks? Only time will tell.