India beat Holland to make semis

Runners-up in the last edition of the tournament, India qualified for semi-finals in the seventh junior men's hockey World Cup, defeating Netherlands 4-3 in their concluding match of Pool F of the second round, in Hobart, Australia, on Wednesday.

In an earlier match, giant-killers Argentina produced another upset of the tournament, defeating defending champions Australia 2-1 and denying them a semi-final berth.

India, with four points (one win and one draw), made into semis as the second team behind Argentina, with seven points (two wins and a draw) from the pool F.

The Netherlands placed third (one victory and two defeats) while Australia were fourth, with a solitary victory, which was against the Netherlands. Both teams finished with the same number of points (3) but the Dutch went ahead on better goal difference.

In the semi-finals on Friday, India will take on Germany, who topped Pool E, with nine points, while Argentina will meet England, who finished second with four points.

In the concluding matches of Pool E on Wednesday, Germany beat England 3-2, while Korea got the better of Spain 4-2 to post their first victory in the second round.

Oliver Hentschel got a brace for Germany, scoring in the 12th and 57th minuntes while Matthias Witthaus got the third goal in the 62nd minute.

Richard Mantell scored both the goals for England, in 39th and 65th minutes.

For Korea, Sung Yoon scored twice in the 28th and 62nd minutes, while Dae Oh, in the 39th, and Jin Joo, 49th minute, got the other goals.

Albert Sala, in the 25th minute, and Victor Sojo (51st) accounted for Spain's goals.

Goals by Gagan Ajit Singh and Jugraj Singh in the first ten minutes saw India quickly race to a 2-0 lead in their match against the Netherlands. But they were reduced to 10 players two minutes later, when Ignace Tirkey earned a yellow card for a rough tackle. The Netherlands came back and started mounting attacks. Their efforts paid-off when Roderick Weusthof scored off a penalty-corner flick in the 17th minute (2-1). Five minutes later scores was even as Mathijs Van Weerd scored from a field goal.

Four goals in the first half set the stage for an engrossing second half. And the teams did not disappoint. Prabhjot Singh put India ahead (3-2) after 13 minutes. It was a brilliant field goal, with the speedy forward catching the Dutch defence on the wrong foot with a hit from the top left of the cricle.

But the Dutch were not yet finished. Rob Reckers hit back a minute later to put the Netherlands on par at 3-3, scoring from a rebound off the pads of the Indian goalkeeper Devesh Chauhan, who had blocked a penalty-corner hit by Roderick Weusthof.

The Indians swung into action and launched a feverish search for the match-winner, knowing well enough that a draw would deny them a semi-final berth. Eight minutes later India earned its fourth penalty-corner. This time Kanwalpreet Singh took the hit and scored what turned out to be the match-winner.

The Indians then defended well as the Dutch tried hard to come back again. They did get a last chance off a penalty-corner in the dying moments of the play, but could not beat the tough Indian defence.

Penalty-corner goals flatten Australia

Earlier, Argentina continued on their giant-killing spree, beating Australia by the odd goal in three. Both their goals came off penalty-corners.

Argentina played to their strength, which is deep defending and breaking through from the counter attack. It created panic in the Australian defence forcing them to commit errors.

Juan Gilardi put Argentina ahead from a penalty-corner in the 22nd minute. And despite Australia calling the shots, they held on to that lead till four minutes from time, when Vivian Taylor scored of Australia's sixth penalty-corner to level the scores.

Argentina then forced two penalty-corners in quick succession, and with seconds to go for the final hooter, Juan Garreta scored of the second penalty-corner to deprive the hosts and defending champions a semi-final berth.

In Pool H, South Africa drew with Scotland 3-3, while Malaysia beat Chile 3-1.

All the three teams finished with five points from one win and two draws. Malaysia topped the pool on better goal difference, But South Africa and Scotland were tied for second place with the same goal difference (1). The unexpected result set up a penalty shoot-out, which South Africa won 3-2, later in the day.

For Scotland, Jonathan Christie scored in the 32nd minute and Scott McCartney got two goals in the 41st and 45th minutes. Gray Royston, in the 43rd, Dale Isaac, in 53rd, and Ian Symons, in 70th, were the scorers for South Africa.

For Malaysia Jiwa Mohan opened the scoring in the 29th, before Boon Chua, in the 33rd, and Mohd Fairuz Ramli, in 49th minute, could add to the tally.

Alan Stein, in 54th, got Chile's lone goal.

In Pool G, France beat Canada 3-0 while New Zealand got the better of Ireland, winning 3-1.

Complete Coverage: 7th Junior Men's World Cup 2001