London Olympics: Netherlands stun world champions Germany

London Olympics: Netherlands stun world champions Germany
The Netherlands players celebrate a goal by teammate Mink van der Weerden during their men’s hockey preliminary match against Germany at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. (AP Photo)
LONDON: The Netherlands pulled off the first major upset of the Olympic Games men’s hockey competition on Sunday when they posted a 3-1 victory over defending champions Germany to surge to the top of the pool.

Netherlands posted their fourth successive victory in Pool B to move to 12 points, while Germany are on nine from four outings and South Korea have moved to six after their 4-1 victory over India.

Belgium, who will play India next on Tuesday, held New Zealand to a 1-1 draw in another Pool B match.

In Pool A, Pakistan rose to the third spot with their 5-4 win over South Africa, taking them to the third spot being Australia and Great Britain.

Netherlands rallied after conceding a third-minute lead to Germany, for whom Christopher Zellar opened the scoring with a penalty corner conversion.

The Dutch then produced an outstanding display of attacking hockey to equalise in the 14th minute through Bob de Voogd’s open play strike.

Star player Teun de Noooijer then fired on target a minute after the interval to put Netherlands ahead and Mink ven der Weerden made it 3-1 in the 41st minute with a firm penalty corner shot.

The Dutch defence then kept the German strikers at bay to thwart their hopes of a comeback.

Belgium, whose points tally stands at four after the draw with New Zealand, muffed several chances in the first session before Tom Boon opened the account in the 48th minute, only to see New Zealand equalise six minutes later with Nick Wilson scoring from an acute angle.

Pakistan rode on two late goals to dash South Africa’s hopes of posting their first victroy in Pool A.

An opportunistic strike by Waseem Ahmed produced Pakistan’s match-winner in the 67th minute after skipper Sohail Abbas had equalised with a penalty corner shot three minutes earlier.

Pakistan now have seven points from four points, the same at 2010 World Cup winners Australia and hosts Great Britain, who clash later on Sunday.