Closest day in Champions Trophy history

Visit the FIH tournament website for the men's Sahara Hockey Champions Trophy

The closest day in tournament history has the men's Sahara Hockey Champions Trophy finely poised with three draws keeping all teams in contention after two rounds of matches.

Never before in the 28-year history of the event has a single day of competition produced three draws, with just eight goals scored in an absorbing round of matches.

Not surprisingly, today's results also keep all six competing teams in the race for a spot in the top two (and a place in the final) at the end of the preliminary rounds next Saturday.

Two draws on one match day have been recorded on a handful of occasions (1986, 1994, 1995, 1996), but today represented the first time that all three matches have ended in a stalemate.

After two days of action, every team has made their mark on the points table, with only three points separating Netherlands and Australia on top and Argentina in sixth position.

As expected, the marquee match of the day between the world's number one and two ranked teams was a tough and unforgiving contest.

Australia took the lead near half time and the Dutch responded almost immediately through Taeke Taekema's fourth penalty corner strike in two matches. From that point, little could separate the teams with scoring chances at a premium and the defences working overtime.

In the opening match of the day, Germany jumped to a two-goal lead midway through the first half before falling victim to Sohail Abbas and his lethal penalty corner flicking to concede their advantage and then fall behind their opponents.

However just as it looked as though Pakistan would record a stirring win, loose defending gave Germany a chance which Matthias Witthaus gratefully accepted.

Home team Spain appeared destined for their first win of the tournament before suffering the same fate as Pakistan, although Argentina's equaliser came with just 30 seconds remaining.

After working hard throughout, the goal was a good reward for Argentina after they pushed the Netherlands last night only to wilt under a flurry of late penalty corner goals from Taeke Taekema.

However they showed their emerging status on the world stage with Tomas Argento giving the South American's their first point of the tournament.

Tomorrow (Monday) is the first rest day in the tournament before action resumes on Tuesday.