Britain draw, to face India in quarters

RAIPUR: Though they were not playing, the Indians must have been watching Tuesday’s action in Pool A with a lot of interest. What mattered for them was who would eventually finish at the top and be their opponents in the quarterfinals.

And the action in the second match of the day between Great Britain and Belgium must have kept them riveted to their seats as both teams went neck-and-neck. Both had chances of topping the group, though the British were the favourites, having won both their matches and with a superior goal difference.

Australia had already handed Canada a royal thrashing, beating them 6-0 and it was now left for Great Britain to do the needful. They started superbly and took a 2-1 lead by halftime. But the Belgians were not done with, they fought back superbly twice, rallying from 2-3 down to draw the match 3-3, Tom Boon converting a penalty stroke in the 42nd minute to pull them level.

Belgium needed to win so as to bring the various permutations and combinations into account. They desperately went in search for the winner, launching a number of attacks and even pulling out their goalkeeper for an attacker in the final minutes but to no avail.

The draw meant, Britain topped the pool and Belgium were third. Thus, Britain will now meet India in the third quarterfinal on Thursday while defending champions Netherlands will face Canada on Wednesday. Australia play Germany on Wednesday while Belgium will take on Argentina in the last quarterfinal on Thursday.