Australia beat England to retain Champions Trophy

MOENCHENGLADBACH (Germany): Australia won a third successive Champions Trophy, and 11th in all, with a comprehensive 4-0 mauling of England, shrugging off a 60-minute rain delay in the process.

Australia won a third successive Champions Trophy, and 11th in all, with a comprehensive 4-0 mauling of England on Sunday, shrugging off a 60-minute rain delay in the process.

England secured the consolation of runners-up having never previously done better than fifth place while the Netherlands took bronze with a 4-1 defeat of Germany.

Australia coach Ric Charlesworth was delighted with his team’s perfect reord of six wins in six matches.

“If you had told me before the tournament we would have these results I would have been very happy. You don’t expect it will happen,” Charlesworth said.

“We came here with the most inexperienced team in the tournament and this has deepened the belief of a number of players that they can play at this level.”

England coach Jason Lee was disappointed with the quality of his team’s performance.

“They did not show up to play today and I hope they are not satisfied that the silver medal is enough,” Lee said.

Australia stamped their name on the trophy with three goals inside the first 15 minutes.

Luke Doerner converted his side’s first penalty corner, Des Abbott knocked in a pass from Glenn Turner and Jason Wilson scorched a shot into the middle of the net.

England had three penalty corners at the end of the first half, but Ashley Jackson and Simon Mantell were off target.

A cloud burst flooded the pitch a minute into the half-time break, causing a 60-minute delay.

There were few quality performances in the second half due to the slow pitch although Jamie Dwyer managed to tee up a drive which rocked the goalposts for Australia’s fourth goal.

The 4-0 scoreline equalled the highest score in a Champions Trophy final – a mark held by Germany and Australia.

Germany’s long season created mental and physical stress as the hosts slumped 4-1 to the Dutch.

“We played a bad game. The players were not up to the task and it’s a combination of mental and physical exhaustion,” said Germany coach Markus Weise.

Dutch skipper Teun de Nooijer converted a penalty stroke and Rogier Hofman cracked in a field goal to give the Netherlands a 2-0 lead at the break.

De Nooijer struck again early in the second half, deflecting in a cross from Jeroen Hertzberger and Mink van der Weerden converted a sixth penalty corner chance, high into the right of goal.

Germany gained a consolation goal from Florian Woesch.

New Zealand finished last and were relegated after losing to Spain 3-2.

New Zealand took an early lead when Nicholas Wilson powered a backstick shot from the left inside the right post across Spain goalkeeper Francisco Cortes.

Spain earned a second penalty corner, converted by Roc Oliva who fired high inside the right post.

The Spanish took command early in the second half with skipper Santi Freixa driving in a loose ball and Oliva converting the team’s third penalty corner chance.

Simon Child gave New Zealand hope of a comeback by cutting the deficit.

Wilson hit a penalty corner into the middle of the net minutes after Child’s goal only to have the goal disallowed following a video referral by Spain as the ball did not travel five metres outside the circle before the hit into goal.

Andrew Hayward had a chance to convert a sixth penalty corner which was deflected out by Spain.

New Zealand launched their own video referral, based on Spain’s defenders being over the line at the start of the corner, but had the appeal denied.

“Once we get past this result and the results early in the tournament we can see we have made a lot of progress and we will continue to make progress when we get home,” said New Zealand coach Shane McLeod.

New Zealand had defeated the Netherlands 3-1 earlier in the event, only their second win in Champions Trophy trophy history and first since 1978.