The second day of the ABN AMRO Champions Trophy featured a shock result for Korea against Germany, a high scoring win for Australia against The Netherlands and a highly charged draw between England and Spain.
Korea produced a superb performance to record a 5-3 triumph over World and Olympic Champions Germany in the first match of the day in Melbourne. Germany's Matthias WITTHAUS scored a sensational goal on his 300th appearance for Germany but it was not enough to stop his team falling to a shock defeat against the Koreans.
Australia produced a devastating display of attacking hockey to thrash The Netherlands 7-2 on Day two of the ABN AMRO Champions Trophy in Melbourne. Grant SCHUBERT proved to be his team's hero with a hat-trick, contributing heavily to the worst ever Champions Trophy result for the Dutch.
Xavi RIBAS scored twice but Spain were made to fight all the way to secure a draw against England, with a late goal from Edi TUBAU ensuring that the points were shared. It was a fiercely fought and tense encounter, which also saw England striker James TINDALL score a brace.
See below for more information about these exciting matches.
Day 3 of the ABN AMRO Champions Trophy gets underway on Tuesday at 15.05 (local time - GMT +11), with World & Olympic Champions Germany taking on Spain. The Netherlands and Korea face each at 17.05, before the big match of the day between Australia and England at 19.05. Tomorrow is a rest day.
The FIH has launched a special ÔÇ£micrositeÔÇØ which is providing extensive coverage of all the action from Melbourne. You will be able to see video interviews with the players; read live written commentaries, match reports, and quotes; view stunning action photos from each match and much more. For more information, please visit www.abnamrochampionstrophy2009.sportcentric.com
Reports - Day 2
Match 04: Korea v Germany - 5:3 (1:1)
Korea produced a superb performance to defeat World and Olympic Champions Germany in the first match of the day here in Melbourne. Germany's Matthias WITTHAUS scored a sensational goal on his 300th appearance for Germany but it was not enough to stop his team falling to defeat against the Koreans.
Korea dominated the early stages of the match and deservedly took the lead through YOU Hyo Sik, whose attempted pass along in the circle found its way into the net via a the stick of a German defender. Korea continued to pressurize the Germany defence, but goalkeeper Tim JESSULAT was in inspired form to keep his team in the match. Germany fought their way back into the game and surely would have leveled were it not for a number if magnificent saves from LEE Myung Ho. Eventually, Germany found an equalizer and - fittingly - it was Matthias WITTHAUS who celebrated his 300th cap with a brilliant solo effort that went into the goal via the crossbar.
The match was evenly poised at half time, but it seemed that Germany would emerge triumphant in the contest when Jan-Marco MONTAG sent a penalty corner flick into the goal to give Germany a 1-2 lead. However, SEO Jong Ho grabbed an equalizer before NAM Hyun Woo fired in with a brilliant penalty corner. 3-2 soon became 4-2 when LEE Nam Jong scored a penalty stroke, and a minute later SEO Jong Ho scored to all but seal the points with six minutes remaining. Germany's MONTAG collected his second goal of the game in the final minute to make the score 5-3, but it was too little too late for the Germans who suffered their first defeat of the tournament.
Match 5: Netherlands v Australia - 2:7 (1:5)
Australia were in sparkling form as they recorded a stunning 2-7 triumph over The Netherlands. Veteran Kookaburras forward Grant SCHUBERT scored a first half hat-trick as Australia surged into a 1-5 half time lead that always looked too big a hurdle for the Dutch to overcome.
Dutchman Taeke TAEKEMA extended his lead as the all time top goal scorer in the Champions Trophy when he opened the scoring with a typically powerful penalty corner, earned by the evergreen Teun DE NOOIJER. That goal arrived with less than four minutes played, but it did not take long for Australia to find an equaliser thanks to Grant SCHUBERT's first goal of the day courtesy of a penalty stroke after eight minutes. Australia took the lead just over ten minutes later through Glenn TURNER, and the Kookaburras extended their advantage when Brent DANCER fired a penalty corner into the goal just moments later. Australia were the dominant force as half time neared, and it was no surprise when Grant SCHUBERT made the score 1-4 when he deflected in a visionary reverse stick pass from Rob HAMMOND. Just before the break a defensive error from Taeke TAEKEMA was ruthlessly punished by the in-form SCHUBERT, who robbed the ball from the star Dutchman and fired into the goal from the left of the circle.
There were fewer goals in the second period but the match was no less entertaining. Luke DOERNER made the score 1-6 with a fast, low penalty corner before Jamie DWYER scored the goal of the match with a spectacular reverse stick strike from the tightest of angles that clipped the inside of the left post before hitting the back of the net. Robert KEMPERMAN claimed a late consolation, but the result was never in doubt. Australia must surely be favourites to win the Champions Trophy here in Melbourne, something that would delight the huge number of supporters who are making their way daily to the State Hockey Centre to watch their team in action.
Match 6: England v Spain - 3:3 (2:2)
Xavi RIBAS scored twice but Spain were made to fight all the way to secure a draw against England, with a late goal from Edi TUBAU ensuring that the points were shared.
England needed just two minutes to take the lead against the Spaniards, with the goal coming from a penalty corner. With the ever-dangerous Ashley JACKSON and Richard MANTELL standing at the top of the circle, it came as a surprise to Spain and the watching crowd when the ball was instead slipped to James TINDALL, who found the bottom corner with a well-placed flick. However, Xavi RIBAS scored the first of his two goals in the game when he slammed a penalty corner into the net to level the scores. That goal was the 2400th goal in Champions Trophy history, and the 2401st goal came soon after when RIBAS found the net with a penalty stroke. At this point the England of old might have capitulated, but the new look, successful England showed all of their fighting spirit to score twice before half time. The first goal came from a ferocious James TINDALL strike, with Barry MIDDLETON adding the third with a clever finish following an excellent pass from youngster Nick CONDON.
The second half was a wonderful, end-to-end affair, with both keepers being called into action on a number of occasions. Spain were desperately searching for an equaliser, while England looked more than capable of adding to their lead. Eventually though, Spain levelled the scores, and although TUBAU was the scorer, it was 2008 WorldHockey Player of the Year Pol AMAT who was the inspiration behind it. AMAT surged down the right, played a one-two with David ALEGRE before sending a perfect pass across the face of goal for TUBAU to slam into the net from close range. It was enough to give Spain a point, and it was no more than they deserved in this evenly balanced and entertaining encounter between the two teams from Europe.
