Power-packed Australia proved third time lucky as they won the men’s field hockey World Cup after a 24-year hiatus with a 2-1 win over defending champions Germany yesterday.
Luke Doerner scored the winning penalty-corner 11 minutes from the end after Edward Ockenden had put the Kookaburras ahead in the sixth minute and Moritz Furste drew level for Germany in the 48th minute.
Doerner’s eighth goal in the tournament made him the joint leading scorer with another penalty-corner specialist, Taeke Taekema of the Netherlands.
PHOTO: EPA
Australia, whose previous World Cup title came way back in 1986, had lost the last two finals against Germany in 2002 and 2006.
The Germans, hoping to become the first team in history to bag a hat-trick of titles to add to the Beijing Olympic gold medal they won two years ago, were outpaced by the speedy Australians.
Kookaburras’ legendary coach Ric Charlesworth watched the final from the stands behind the goal, rather than on the bench, just as he had done in the semi-final against the Netherlands.
Charlesworth, who was part of Australia’s Cup winning squad in 1986, achieved the distinction of winning the World Cup both as a player and coach.
“I am too noisy and too excited on the bench, so I preferred to be calm in the stands,” Charlesworth said. “There was nothing superstitious about it.”
“I am very, very pleased. We played a good game with a lot of control and authority. Scoring that early goal was very helpful,” he said. “I am pleased to win both as player and captain. In 1986, the scoreline was the same, but the opponents [England] were different. The next goal now is the London Olympics.”
German captain Max Muller said the penalty corners proved decisive.
“We too got one in the end, but could not score,” Muller said. “We are a young side and maybe got overawed by the occasion. Today, we are disappointed, but when we think of it tomorrow morning, we will be pleased we reached the final.”
The Netherlands, meanwhile, gave veteran goalkeeper Guus Vogels a retirement present by winning the bronze medal with a 4-3 win over England earlier on Saturday.
In a thrilling play-off for the third and fourth place positions, Rogier Hofman scored the winning goal three minutes before the final whistle after the Dutch fought back from 1-3 down at halftime.
Vogels, who turns 35 later this month, was named the Dutch captain instead of Teun de Nooijer for the bronze medal match, his last international game after earning 260 caps for his country.
Vogels was part of the Netherlands’ Olympic gold medal-winning teams in 1996 and 2000.
“We wanted to win this one for Guus and I am proud the way we played today,” de Nooijer said.
European champions England, hoping for a podium finish for the first time since winning the silver medal in 1986, were swept aside in the second half by a determined Dutch side.
“It is absolutely devastating,” captain Barry Middleton said. “All the hard work we have done in the tournament has come to nothing because we failed to win a medal.”
OUT AGAINST INDONESIA: Taiwan reached the semi-finals at the tournament for the first time by defeating Denmark, with Chou Tien-chen beating Viktor Axelsen Taiwan yesterday crashed out of the Thomas Cup team competition in Chengdu, China, but achieved their best result at the top-tier badminton event by reaching the semi-finals. Indonesia were too good in the semis, winning 3-0 to advance to today’s final against China, who eliminated Malaysia 3-1. In the opening singles of the men’s team clash at the Hi-Tech Zone Sports Center Gymnasium 2, Anthony Ginting defeated Taiwan’s Chou Tien-chen 21-18, 21-19 in 51 minutes, which put a huge hole in Taiwan’s aspirations to perhaps even make the final. In the men’s doubles, Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Ardianto downed Lee Yang and Wang
NO DOUBT: Spurs star Wembanyama was unanimously selected as NBA Rookie of the Year, winning all 99 votes to become the first Frenchman to capture the honor The Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday night produced a dominant defensive display to seize a commanding 2-0 lead in their best-of-seven playoff series against the Denver Nuggets with a 106-80 road victory. The third-seeded Timberwolves harassed Denver relentlessly to claim a second straight win over the NBA champions as the series heads back to Minneapolis for Game 3 on Friday. Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards scored 27 points apiece, but the star of the show was Minnesota’s suffocating defensive effort, which knocked Denver out of their stride almost from the tip-off. The Timberwolves finished with 11 steals and 12 blocks, in sharp contrast to
Top-ranked Iga Swiatek on Saturday came through “the most intense and crazy final” she has ever contested to avenge her loss to Aryna Sabalenka in last year’s Madrid Open final with a grueling three hour, 11 minute victory in the Spanish capital. Coming back from 1-3 down in the decider and saving three match points in total, Swiatek claimed a 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (9/7) victory to secure the Madrid Open trophy for the first time. “Well, who is going to say now that women’s tennis is boring, right?” Swiatek said. Swiatek, who picked up the 20th title of her career, and ninth at
One of Malaysia’s top soccer clubs has pulled out of today’s season-opening Charity Shield after a spate of assaults, including an acid attack, on players in the country. It leaves the kickoff of Malaysia’s season this weekend under a cloud following the unprecedented acts of violence against players, which have left the country shocked and angry. Authorities said they have imposed tighter security, but Selangor said that they would not play in the showpiece curtain-raiser against Malaysian Super League champions Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) citing “a series of criminal incidents and recent threats.” Selangor and Malaysia winger Faisal Halim is in intensive care