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| December 8, 2001 | Saturday | Ramazan 22, 1422 |
South Africa topple favourites Argentina
KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 7: South Africa created an upset when they defeated favourites Argentina 3-2 in the opening game at the inaugural Champions Challenge here on Friday.
Two goals in the closing minutes of the match gave the South Africans a win they richly deserved.
India meanwhile laboured to a 1-0 win over Belgium with the solitary goal scored by Dhanraj Pillay in the 47th minute.
Jorge Lombi opened the scoring for Argentina when he scored off their first penalty corner in the 11th minute with a flick into the roof of the net, giving South African goalkeeper Chris Hibbert no chance.
But South Africa rallied back and equalized through Justin King five minutes later, also off a penalty corner.
Although Mario Almada gave the Argentines a 2-1 lead in the 57th minute the South Africans never gave up.
And their efforts were rewarded when Craig Jackson picked up a rebound to send a reverse stick hit past a bewildered Palo Moreira in the Argentine goal in the 69th minute.
In what proved to be the last attack of the match Mike Cullen picked up a through ball to score with a hefty hit to give the South Africans all three points.
India muffed several scoring opportunities and were lucky to come away with maximum points as Belgium launched relentless raids on their defence.
The decision by Indian coach Cedric d’Souza not to play Deepak Thakur proved to be costly as veterans Dhanraj and Sabu Varkey looked out of sorts.
“We have to improve our finishing. It was obvious that the forwards could not deliver the killer blow,” said d’Souza.
“But then again this is our first match and therefore we cannot read too much into the performance today,” he added.
In the day’s other game, Malaysia defeated Japan 1-0 with K. Keevan Raj securing the winner in the 40th minute.
The hosts were denied a bigger victory by the fine ‘keeping of Jun Takahashi in the Japanese goal.
“We have to make use of our chances. Though we earned enough penalty corners, we were unable to make them count,” said Malaysia coach Paul Lissek.—AFP
South Africa 3 Argentina 2
India 1 Belgium 0
Malaysia 1 Japan 0
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