Australia’s Matthew Swann (left) and Nikkin Thimmaiah vie for the ball in their final round robin match of the Champions Trophy at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in London on Thursday. Australia won 4-2. (Photo: AP)
Australia’s Matthew Swann (left) and Nikkin Thimmaiah vie for the ball in their final round robin match of the Champions Trophy at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in London on Thursday. Australia won 4-2. (Photo: AP)
World champions Australia exuded class and control as they outplayed India 4-2 in the teams’ final round-robin league encounter in the 36th Hero Champions Trophy hockey tournament here on Thursday.
India needed a win or a draw to seal their place in the final of the tournament, where their best-finish is a bronze medal in the 1982 edition. But they will now have to wait for the remaining matches to know their fate.
The team have seven points after five matches, while Australia are already through.
Strikes from Trent Mitton (21st) and Aran Zalewski (23rd) put Australia ahead 2-0 at half time, and they extended their lead with goals from Flynn Oglivie (35th) and Tristan White (45th).
India goalkeeper P.R. Sreejesh, who did not have much to do in the previous game against Korea when India won 2-1, found himself in the thick of the action, with Australia earning as many as 9 penalty corners.
India’s forwards too were guilty and looked totally out of depth in the opening two quarters before they got their act together in the last two.
V.R Raghunath reduced the margin in the 45th minute, while a late strike from Mandeep Singh (49th) brought some semblance to their show, but it was too much of an ask to negate the early damage.
