Germany triumph 4-1 as profligate Dutch lose steam
PERFECT STROKES Germany score three goals in a span of six minutes
BHUBANESWAR: A day before their Pool D game against Germany, the Netherlands hockey team was seen trying out penalty shootouts on the practice pitch of the Kalinga Stadium. The Dutch were perhaps a bit too optimistic and overconfident about their chances at this World Cup as the shootouts will not come into effect until the knockouts.
Perhaps they should have been training for penalty corners instead of shootouts as they wasted as many as four short corner opportunities before going down 1-4 to the Germans.
World No 6 Germany are known to build on their performances during a tournament and peak at the right time. That is what they have done until now.
Following their 1-0 win over Pakistan last Saturday, the Martin Haner-led Germany showed what they are capable of against the strong Dutch, who looked almost invincible following their 7-0 thrashing of Malaysia in the first round of matches.
The Dutch were the first to get on the board via Valentin Verga’s 13th minute field goal. It looked like the scoreboard would stay at 1-0 till half-time until a penalty corner conversion by the Germans gave them a leveller moments from the break.
A beautiful variation was deflected by Mathias Muller (30th) to put the Germans ahead. That goal gave the two-time winners the boost they needed in the second half. The scoreline remained 1-1 until the final quarter when Germany upped the ante to score three goals on the trot in a span of six minutes.
“It’s not about the last quarter. We didn’t play well as per our expectations the entire match. It is a disappointing result,” Netherlands captain Billy Bakker said. Lukas Windfeder made it 2-1 for the Germans in the 52nd minute before Marco Miltkau, who also scored against Pakistan, stretched the scoreline to 3-1 in 54th minute.
Two minutes from the final hooter Germany were awarded a penalty stroke. Chistopher Ruhr took the shot and put it in the top right of the goal to make it 4-1 for the Germans.
PAK, MALAYSIA DRAW
Pakistan were held to a 1-1 draw against Malaysia in the second Pool D game. After three goalless quarters, the four-time winners took the lead via Md Atiq’s 51st minute goal. But Malaysia’s Faizal Saari converted a penalty corner four minutes later to level the scoreline.