S. Korea edges into semis of Indira Gandhi hockey
S. Korea edges into semis of Indira Gandhi hockey
NEW DELHI (AFP): Asian champion South Korea stormed into the
semi-finals of the Indira Gandhi field hockey tournament with a
classy 3-1 win over Australia Tuesday, while Poland held South
Africa to a shock 2-2 draw.
The speedy Koreans, Asian Games gold medalists in Hiroshima,
proved too strong for the second-string Aussies while recording
their second successive win in Group B of the eight-nation
competition.
Versatile midfielder and skipper Park Shin Heum put the
Koreans ahead a minute before half-time from a pass by Keon Wook-
Kang.
But his Australian counterpart Jason Duff equalized with a
stinging penalty corner shot two minutes into the second-half.
The Koreans, however, asserted their supremacy by banging in
two more goals midway through the second session through Keon
Wook-Kang and Seung Tae-Song.
South Korea, which edged past South Africa 4-3 in its first
match, is certain to top Group B if it defeat or draw against
Poland in its last league encounter today.
Australia, which trounced Poland 5-0 in an earlier match, was
left with two points from as many matches and a game against
South Africa in hand. The Africans and the Poles are tied with a
point each.
South Africa has itself to blame for sharing points with
Poland after dominating a large part of the match.
It twice allowed Poland to draw level after taking the lead,
the second equalizer coming four minutes from the final whistle
through Piotr Adrian.
Shaun Cooke's penalty corner put the South Africans ahead in
the 11th minute, before Polish skipper Slawo Mir equalized six
minutes later.
Shane Viviers struck for South Africa again in the 52nd
minute, but Poland's last-ditch effort was rewarded when Adrian
shot in towards the close.
Kazakhstan leads Group A with two successive wins. Malaysia,
England and hosts India are the three other teams in the group.
Standings
Group A
Kazakhstan 2 2 - - 4 2 4
India 2 1 1 - 3 2 3
England 2 - 1 1 1 2 1
Malaysia 2 - - 2 3 5 0
Group B
S Korea 2 2 - - 7 4 4
Australia 2 1 - 1 6 3 2
S Africa 2 - 1 1 5 6 1
Poland 2 - 1 1 2 7 1