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MELBOURNE: Germany snatched a last-minute goal to down Spain 5-4 in a thrilling contest at the men’s field hockey Champions Trophy in Melbourne Tuesday. In later matches, South Korea downed the jet-lagged Netherlands 2-1 and Australia squeezed past England 2-1. Germany got off with a first-minute bang as Benjamin Wess followed up his own pass to the right and drove home in the circle, redeeming himself for a disqualification in the Germans’ last game, a 5-3 defeat by South Korea. Jan-Marco Montag flicked a penalty corner conversion four minutes later to give Germany a 2-0 lead.
Spain were quick to respond, Albert Sala and Eduard Arbos combining for a right-side challenge to Germany’s defence with a last touch by Arbos sending the ball into goal. Aged just 18, the tournament’s youngest player, Florian Fuchs, replied for Germany seconds later, deflecting in a long pass from the midfield to give his side a 3-2 lead. Field goals by Eddie Tubau and Jordi Carrera put Spain back in front early in the second half, with Tubau managing a back-stick drive across German goalkeeper Tim Jessulat just inside the right post. A defensive error left Carrera with a loose ball which he drove past Jessulat to make the score 4-3 in Spain’s favour.
With eight minutes to go, Fuchs retaliated with an opportunistic goal from the top of the circle to level play 4-4. A penalty corner and three shots on goal from Germany followed, with Matthias Witthaus’s winning goal upheld by the video umpire with 33 seconds left to play. “We had a good start but we lost our way a bit in the second half, losing possession contests when Spain pressed us,” said Germany coach Markus Weise. Later, The Netherlands showed signs of fatigue against the fitter South Koreans. After 11 minutes, Florian Evers broke on the right side, faking one pass before delivering another to Jeroen Hertzberger at the top of the circle who tapped on to an unmarked Roderick Westhof to score from the left.
Dutch player Taeke Taekema hit the post with a penalty corner drag-flick conversion attempt minutes later, before Hong Eun-Seong equalised for South Korea late in the first half, deflecting in a drive from the right. South Korea lifted the tempo against their tiring opponents in the last minutes and were rewarded with the winning goal. Netherlands coach Michel van den Heuvel said his side proved unable to stay on top for the full duration. “We controlled the tempo in the opening part of the match but not towards the end of the first half when South Korea got into our defensive area,” he said. South Korea manager Cho Myung-Jun explained his game-plan against the Dutch. “The main tactic we use against the Netherlands is to defend at the half line and play for the counter-attack,” he said.
In the last match of the day, England attacked through the wings in the opening minutes of its 2-1 loss to Australia and patience was rewarded with a goal to Iain Mackay, scrambling in a drive to goal by Richard Alexander. Grant Schubert at the right post deflected in a penalty corner flick by Luke Doerner for Australia’s reply and the teams went to the break at 1-1. Australia’s Glenn Turner had the go-ahead goal disallowed by the video umpire for use of the back of the stick before Des Abbott scored the winner, 11 minutes from time, catching the rebound off the left post of his own shot and flicking into the empty goal. The win puts Australia at the head of the leader board as the only team with 9 points from three wins. Australia captain Mark Knowles was relieved to get the win. “We had a 3-3 in the Olympics and that was tough and with the 2-1 we are happy with that today, after we didn’t get a win against them in the Olympics,” Knowles said. Wednesday is a rest day followed by matches on Thursday between
South Korea and Spain, England and Netherlands and Germany and Australia.
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