New Delhi, 10 Jan 2014: Argentina’s giant-killing act began on the opening day of the Hero Hockey World League Final with strong contenders the Netherlands suffering a shock casualty losing 2-5 at the Dhyan Chand Stadium here on Friday. It was match number 2 after Aussies just survived a scare from Belgium winning 3-2 in the opener.
In the second match of the day, a lowly-ranked Argentina (11) proved that they can bring down any team on their day. The Dutch (ranked 3) team should wake up now and get ready for the all-important knock-out stage.
The Argentine team drew first blood in the very second minute with Gonzalo Peillat converting the first short corner but the Orange brigade made it 1-all within three minutes. It was penalty corner specialist Mink van der Weerden who executed a perfectly set-up ball in the 5th minute. But Argentina forged ahead once again in the 8th minute with a field goal from Facundo Callioni, who made a diving deflection.
Thereafter, the game witnessed some mediocre midfield play with occasional sorties yielding no result and the teams changed ends with Argentina leading 2-1.
The Netherlands came back into the game in the second session with a 50th minute field goal with Seve van Ass scoring the equalizer. The son of the national coach Paul van Ass sent in a stinging reverse stick shot that brooked no answer from rival goalie Juan Vivaldi.
However, Argentina shot ahead once again six minutes later converting their third penalty corner by Pedro Ibarra and never looked back.
Thereafter, the Netherlands fight virtually ended with Argentina pumping three more goals. They struck in the 56th and 60th minutes and capped it with a penalty stroke conversion three minutes from time.
It was Pedro Ibarra who made it 3-2 and Guido Barriedes added one more. Juan Ignacio Gilardi converted the stroke to hand out a 5-2 drubbing to the Netherlands.