Four-time Junior World Champions Germany and Netherlands got back to their winning ways as India lost their position at the top of the standings in the Junior Men Eight-Nation Invitational hockey tournament at the National Hockey Stadium here in Bukit Jalil.
By Julia Vasanthi, GNN
India had been leading the standing for the first two days and came under intense pressure from the Pakistanis in the match yesterday as they managed to walk off with a point.
They have seven points like Netherlands and Germany but the Dutch take the top spot with better goal difference.
It was India who scored first through Dharamveer Singh in the eight minute but the Pakistanis hit back in the 49th minute through Mohamed Tayfeeq to share points in an exciting match which swung both ways.
Former Junior World Cup champions Germany had a close call before they snatched a 4-3 win over South Korea while the Dutch were 4-2 winners over unbeaten Australia.
New Zealand too took their first win of the tournament when the beat hosts Malaysia 2-1.
The Germans and Dutch shared points on Friday in the 1-1 draw and needed the win to put their hopes of a final back in place with a win.
The win yesterday kept them both firmly in the hunt for a place in Sunday's final.
The Germans had taken a 3-0 lead in the first half and were coasting to a big win.
But the Koreans, winless in the earlier two matches, fought back and nailed three goals in the second half but the time ran out for them.
Niklass Grell, Fabian Zilg and Fabian Bauwens-Adenauer scored in the ninth, 28th and 35th minutes while Benedikt secured the winning goal in the 68th minute.
For the Koreans their goals came through Jeong Yun-sang (42nd, 57) and Kang Hyun-woo in the 70th minute.
The Dutch also put themselves back in the reckoning for a final place with a 4-2 win over Australia.
Bob de Voogd, Johrus Gommers, Quirijn Caspers and Mink van der Weerden scored in the second, 12th, 58th 62nd minutes respectively for the Dutch while Joshua Pollard and Timothy Bates replied for the Australians in the 38th and 47th minutes.
Dutch coach Michel van den Heuvel said that the race for the final is very much an open affair and could go down the wire.
'Nothing has changed and all the teams stand a chance with four more matches to go. It is a tight race and matches are very close. So you will more surprise results which could turn the race around,' he said.
New Zealand who had lost the earlier two matches came back from a goal down to beat Malaysia 2-1.
Malaysia took the lead through Hang Edzharsyah in the 18th minute but two second half strikes from Stephen Jeneses in the 42 nd minute and Rayness Smith in the 68th minute gave them full points.
Results:
India ÔÇô New Zealand 6-1
Germany ÔÇô Netherlands 1-1
Australia ÔÇô South Korea 2-1
Germany ÔÇô South Korea 4-3
Malaysia ÔÇô New Zealand 1-2
Netherlands ÔÇô Australia 4-2
Pakistan ÔÇô India 1-1
