Aussies dominate in Champions Trophy goal rush

MOENCHENGLADBACH (Germany): Australia stayed on course for a third successive Champions Trophy title with a 6-3 come-from-behind win over the Netherlands on Sunday as three games witnessed a 22-goal deluge.

Australia led 1-0 at half-time against the Dutch but were then 3-2 down with 16 minutes left to play.

However, they scored four unanswered field goals in the last seven minutes to secure a second successive win.

Jamie Dwyer pounced on a loose ball in the circle early in the first half for the only score of before the break.

After Dwyer’s goal, the Dutch pressed Australia high to prompt errors in the defence which was rewarded with a penalty stroke, taken by Mink van der Weerden and saved by goalkeeper Nathan Burgers on his right pad.

Rogier Hofman levelled for the Netherlands, bursting through Australia’s defence early in the second half.

Australia replied within minutes with Luke Doerner’s second penalty corner conversion attempt.

Back came the Dutch minutes later with captain Teun de Nooijer finishing a break through the middle of the pitch.

Van der Weerden made amends for missing the penalty stroke to flick Netherlands’ first and only penalty corner chance high over Burger’s head into the top of the net to give his side a 3-2 lead.

The Dutch reverted to a defensive pattern, abandoned their attacking, running game and succumbed to a very focused Australia attack who scored four times in the last seven minutes.

Des Abbott, Russell Wilson, Jamie Dwyer and Russell Ford were all on target.

Australia coach Richard Charlesworth expected a tough encounter from Netherlands.

“We expect that from Holland and it provided a good learning experience for our players,” Charlesworth said.

Netherlands coach Paul van Ass gave credit to the Aussies.

“Credit goes to Australia. You have not beaten them until the game is over and the game is 70 minutes,” van Ass said.

New Zealand were overrun 5-2 by Germany.

New Zealand defended the first four penalty corner chances of Germany, succumbing on the fifth as Germany worked a variation to the right post for Christoph Menke to score.

Florian Woesch capitalized on a first half clearance by goalkeeper Kyle Pontifex to tee up a drive inside the left post for Germany to lead 2-0 at the break.

Nicholas Wilson replied for New Zealand early in the second half beating Germany’s defence deep on the left of the circle to drive a back stick shot past goalkeeper Max Weinholt.

Germany answered with a penalty corner goal by Martin Haner within two minutes followed by Florian Fuch’s backstick field goal to put the match out of reach of New Zealand at 4-1

Simon Child gave a little hope to New Zealand, finishing Phillip Burrows’ weave along the right back line to tap in near the right post in the last five minutes.

But Moritz Furste scored for Germany in the last minutes for the 5-2 final score.

New Zealand coach Shane McLeod said he had seen signs of progress after the team’s opening day 9-1 loss to Australia.

“There are aspects of our game I am quite pleased with and there is a list of things that did not work quite according to our planning,” McLeod said.

England drew 3-3 with Spain, but they had been 2-0 up in the first five minutes through field goals from captain Glenn Kirkham and Iain Mackay.

Spain equalised with two penalty corner conversions to Pau Quemada and a deflection into the top of the net by Miquel Delas off Quemada’s low flick.

England responded with Mackay running in to the circle to deflect Ashley Jackson’s cross from the top of the circle.

In a frantic last 10 minutes, Gabriel Dabanch hit the equaliser for 3-3.

Monday is a rest day in the tournament and on Tuesday Australia play England, New Zealand meet Netherlands and Germany play Spain.