High-flying Dutch ground Kiwis

M.S.Unnikrishnan

Tribune News Service

The Netherlands inflicted a 3-1 defeat on New Zealand to register their second straight victory in a Group A match of the 12th Hero Honda FIH World Cup Hockey Championship at the National Stadium here tonight.

Netherlands thus became the second team, after England, to maintain an all-win record. And the Dutch have also three goals as a kind of benchmark for their wins as they had blanked Argentina by 3-0.

Drag-flick expert Taeke Taekema, who registered the first hat-trick of the championship here, got the second goal today to put the Dutch on a 2-1 lead.

Though the Netherlands took the field on a confident note, their image took a knocking when New Zealand captain Phillip Burrows scored in the opening minute. But the Dutch with their quick forays, interceptions and carefully structured moves finally breached the Kiwi defence when Ronald Brouwer powered one in to get the equaliser.

Taekema struck with his trade-mark dragflick to gain the lead which was consolidated by Jeroen Hertzberger seven minutes before the interval.

Though New Zealand did not throw in the towel after trailing by 1-3, they could not capitalise on the three penalty corners they forced, as they were simply not in the league of their rivals when it came to scoring off corners.

Even Taekema was also not in his best as he could strike only once as a couple of times rival custodian Kyle Pontifex effected superb saves off his sweeps. Late in the second session, the Kiwis used the flanks to flummox the Dutch defence, but the quick-footed defence baulked the Kiwis before the moves could end up in menacing tones. The Dutch are now sitting pretty in the Group win-wise and goal-wise as the six goals they have totted up may come in handy when it comes to goal-count for upward movement in later stages of the group play. This was Netherlands’ fifth victory against New Zealand in six World Cup encounters, as they had succumbed to the Kiwis only once – a 1-2 defeat at Kuala Lumpur in 1975, where India emerged victorious for their first and last cup triumph.

Interestingly, Netherlands and New Zealand were the only teams to have won their opening matches in Group A, and despite the defeat, the Kiwis have nothing to be ashamed of as they lost to a better, skillful team.

The Dutch, three-time winners of the World Cup, have now emerged as one of the favourites to make a shot at the title.