SOUMITRA BOSE

wasteful India played gracious hosts allowing world No. 11 Canada to outsmart them 3-2 in a Hero Hockey World League semi-final playoff match and clinch a berth in the 2018 World Cup berth in Odisha.

In a dramatic contest at the Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre on Sunday morning, Canada scored twice in a space of four minutes in the third quarter to clinch the all-important fifth place in the London leg of the Hockey World League semi-final, leaving India, sixth in the world, with a lot to ponder about.

Later in the evening, The Netherlands blew away Rio Olympic champions Argentina 6-1 in a one-sided final. The Dutch scored in every quarter never to allow the Argentines a grip on the proceedings.

In front of a packed stadium, all seven strikes in the final were field goals.

Valentin Verga (4th and 14th), Thijs van Dam (27th), Robert Kempermann (33rd), Mirco Pruijser (35th) and Thierry Brinkmann (58th) scored for the marauding Dutch.

Matias Paredes scored a consolation goal for the hapless Argentines.

Harry Martin scored twice (5th and 28th minutes) from penalty corners as England finished third after beating Malaysia 4-1. David Ames (9th) and Phil Roper (59th) added to England’s tally.

Faizal Saari’s deflection in the 53rd minute won Malaysia a consolation goal.