Dutch claim Champions Trophy
Dutch claim Champions Trophy
Dutch star Delmee and Australia’s Butler challenge for the ball
The Netherlands beat Australia 4-2 to retain the Champions Trophy in Amsterdam.
Matthijs Brouwer, Piet-hein Geeris, Teun de Nooijer and Karel Klaver scored for the Olympic champions, while Craig Victory and Troy Elder converted penalty corners to keep Australia in contention.
This was the Netherlands’ fourth title in six years, and the seventh since the tournament’s inception in 1978.
Germany have won the Champions Trophy eight times, and Australia seven.
It was a great final - we got off to a good start and never let things slip
Teun de Nooijer
Earlier on Sunday, Pakistan rebounded from their heaviest defeat to India by beating their arch-rivals 4-3 in the bronze-medal match.
The Netherlands opened the scoring in the 25th minute when Brouwer deflected in a free-hit from Taeke Taekema past goalkeeper Mark Hickman.
Australia responded through Victory in the 28th minute, but the Dutch moved ahead two minutes later on Geeris’ reverse hit from the top of the circle.
Elder fired home a stinging penalty corner drive in the 59th minute, before the Dutch swamped the Australian defense with a flow of raids.
De Nooijer capped a fine solo run by flicking in from an acute angle on 61 minutes, and sent a pass for Klaver to put the gold medal out of Australia’s reach.
The win avenged a shock 7-4 defeat at the group stage on Friday, and earned Pakistan their second straight Champions Trophy bronze medal.
India had the edge for much of the game and they led three times.
Jugraj Singh scored the opener from a 26th-minute penalty after a foul on the impressive Gagan Ajit. Sohail Abbas levelled the scores from Pakistan’s second penalty corner.
Seconds before half-time, India snatched the lead again. A shot by Gagan was deflected to Prabhjot Singh who instinctively poked the ball into the bottom corner.
Pakistan levelled from a 42nd minute penalty corner. Sohail’s shot rebounded off the crossbar and Kashif Jawad lashed in the rebound.
India’s third came after a centre from Baljit Dhillon flew high and was touched over the Pakistan goalkeeper by Deepak Thakur.
Abbas scored his second and Pakistan’s third nine minutes from time to level once more before Butt slid the ball past the keeper after latching on to a cross for the winner.
Pakistan’s coach Tahir Zaman said: “The team learned from its mistakes in the previous match and the players did not get emotional. I am very happy with the result.”
India’s failure to beat Pakistan for a second time cost them what would have been only their second Champions medal since 1982.
Earlier on Sunday, Argentina beat Germany 2-1 in the play-off for fifth and sixth places.
but then the last goal a few mins before the close and balay balay.