India hits stride, Aussies flop
Source: Agencies |
March 2, 2010, Tuesday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
SANDEEP Singh scored from two penalty corners on Sunday as India beat fierce rival Pakistan 4-1 at the World Cup in New Delhi on Sunday, and European champion England had an upset 3-2 win over Australia.
In another Pool B match on the opening day, Olympic silver medalist Spain recovered from a slow start to beat South Africa 4-2.
Shivendra Singh gave India the lead in the 25th minute after capitalizing on a penalty corner rebound, and Sandeep Singh made it 2-0 just before halftime with a low shot.
Prabhjot Singh struck in open play in the 37th after a pass from Arjun Halappa, and Sandeep Singh scored with a drag-flick in the 56th.
Pakistan pulled one back through a penalty corner conversion by Sohail Abbas three minutes later.
It was India's first victory against Pakistan at a World Cup since 1975.
"It's just a normal win and three points for us, we must keep our feet on the ground," India coach Jose Brasa said. "We dominated the first half, but we were not up to the mark in the second half."
Pakistan coach Shahid Ali Khan said India was the better team.
"After falling behind by three goals, it was always going to be difficult to bounce back," Khan said. "But this isn't the end of the tournament."
England recorded its first win over Australia at a World Cup since 1975, winning 3-2 after James Tindall scored twice for the European champion.
Tindall converted a penalty corner in the 34th and found the net again in the 45th. England's first goal came from a rasping penalty corner drag-flick by Ashley Jackson in the 25th.
Captain Jamie Dwyer scored in the 23rd and 66th for Australia, which converted one of 13 penalty corners.
Nice feeling
"Beating Australia is a nice feeling, but our performance could have been better. We must not give our opponents so many chances as we gave to Australia today," England captain Barry Middleton said.
Australia coach Ric Charlesworth blamed his team's inability to convert chances. "Losing the first game is obviously very disappointing. We made enough chances. If we can't (score from) them, the blame is on us," said Charlesworth, who captained Australia to its only World Cup title, beating England in the 1986 final.
New Delhi's Dhyan Chand Stadium was guarded by nearly 19,000 personnel to protect players, officials and spectators in a three-kilometer radius of the venue and accommodation for the 12 competing nations.
Paramilitary commandos and a bomb-disposal squad were part of the multiple security cordons inside and around the stadium. Security fears were raised following reported threats by some terrorist organizations against athletes visiting India.
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