Semis battle gets underway

Prabhjot Singh

Tribune News Service

When top four teams of the world are scheduled to play each other in a country whose national sport had been hockey, one would have expected a jam-packed stadium. The organisers of the 12th World Cup here, are, however, not certain about the turnout for the semifinals that feature defending champions Germany, runners-up Australia, the European champions England and the Australia-Pacific champions Australia.

The reason: absence of the home team from the games scheduled for Thursday. Though Indian team has done precisely little to warm cockles of hearts of ardent followers of the game here, their win the opening game against Pakistan rekindled hopes of revival of lost glory in the sport.

And hockey fans do not want to leave the team in the midstream. On Friday, when India returns to the action for the last time to play for the seventh and eighth position against Argentina, another packed stadium is expected. Tomorrow, it will be Canada taking on Pakistan in the wooden spoon match.

It is the second time that Pakistan will be playing for the 11th and 12th position. Last time it was in Willesden, London, where Pakistan beat India to avoid carrying home the wooden spoon. The hockey fraternity, however, will be waiting with gasping breath for the Germany-England encounter.

In the 2009 European Championship, Germany and England played each other twice, first a 4-4 draw in the pool game and then in the final, England pulled up a surprise 5-3 win over the World Cup champions. The win in European championship was the first warning England had given to the world hockey about its serious preparations for the 2012 Olympic Games it is going to host in London.

Otherwise England had beaten Germany in the World Cup only once, in 1986, in London where they beat them 3-2 in the semifinals. England finished with silver medal as a host. Otherwise of total five encounters between the two countries, Germany has won thrice and the one game ended in a draw.

Both Germany and England have progressed well. Though England started the pool matches with a flourish by recording a shock 3-2 win over Australia, it ended its league engagements on a little bitter note losing the last game to Spain.

Germany has been improving with every outing. Their best match had been against the Netherlands that ended in a 2-2 draw. Incidentally, Germany has been the only unbeaten team in the tournament so far. After playing a 2-2 draw against Korea, Germany has been convincing in its wins.

Australia, who have finished with silver medal in the last two editions of the World Cup are aspiring to return home with a gold medal from a country that taught them hockey. Australians owe their success in hockey to Pearce brothers. And if the present chief coach of Australia, Richard Charles worth, accepted Indian assignment, it was an emotional gesture of gratitude.

It is a different story that Richard was a victim to the apathy of the Indian officialdom and red-tapism. Still he wants his team to return home with a gold medal. They take on the Netherlands, the orange shirts, in the second last semifinal. Both Australia and the Netherlands have four wins each in eight World Cup games they previously played against each other.

Since 2004, the Netherlands has never beaten Australia while losing eight consecutive games to them, including Olympic Games, World Cup and the Champions Trophy. Last win for the Netherlands came at Athens Olympic Games when they beat Aussies 2-1.

In 11 World Cups, Australia has participated, they will be playing their ninth semi-final while for the Netherlands, and it will be their eighth. After losing to England, Australia has been giving an excellent account of itself. Luke Doerner shares the top goal scorer spot with six goals to his credit. Australia have also set a new record of the biggest win in the World Cup by trouncing SA 12-0.

Today’s matches:

Canada Vs Pak 3.35 pm (For 11th &12th place)

Germany Vs England 6 pm (1st semifinal)

Australia Vs Netherlands 8.35 pm (2nd semifinal)