Indian Express: India vs Australia hockey: Champions Trophy final spot up for grabs for India
India need to beat Australia to make the final, where, if they qualify, will face Australia again.
India will be hoping to reach their first ever Champions Trophy final when they take on Australia in their final league game on Thursday.
India need to beat Australia to make the final, where they will face Australia again. There are two other possibilities by which India can reach the final.
Great Britain are also in the fray to reach the final. Belgium, Germany and South Korea are out of the competition.
# If India win
India will be through to the final by finishing second in the pool with 10 points, level with Australia but behind on goal difference. If India win by a goal differece of 3 or more, then only they will be top of the table. Results of other matches won’t matter then
# If India draw
In this scenario, Belgium either need to beat Great Britain or draw with them. Britain’s goal difference is +2 which is more than India’s +1. Only a Britain loss or a draw will see India reach the final
# If India lose
They can still reach the final if Belgium can hold Great Britain to a draw. In any case, Britain has to lose. If they win then India have no other option but to winIndia’s poor track record against Australia is a negative. Two losses, one in the final, in Sultan Azlan Shah are the recent results.
Last year, India had defeated Australia in a test series in Raipur but in Europe, Australia thrashed India 6-2 during the World League Semi-finals.