06 February 2004	Friday	14 Zilhaj 1424

HYDERABAD, Feb 5: Olympic champions the Netherlands were held to a 1-1 draw by hosts India in the opening match of the three-game field hockey series here on Thursday.

Versatile striker Gagan Ajit Singh drew level for India 10 minutes into the second half after Taeke Taekema had given the Dutch the lead with his team's fifth penalty corner in the 27th minute.

The Indians, who conceded eight penalty corners and gained only two, attacked aggressively in the second half and were unlucky not to secure victory when Singh's shot was blocked by Dutch goalkeeper Guus Vogels in the 51st minute.

The rivals, preparing for next month's Olympic qualifiers in Madrid, Spain, will clash again on Saturday and Sunday under lights at the Gachibowli stadium here.

The Dutch, who won gold medals at the last two Olympics in Atlanta and Sydney, have to qualify for this year's Athens Games due to the new rule which gives only the continental champions a direct berth.

Germany are the reigning European champions, having won the continental championships in September.

India, who won the last of their eight Olympic golds in 1980, lost to South Korea in the Asian Games final in Busan in 2002.

The hosts, already without the injured trio of skipper Dhanraj Pillay, Deepak Thakur and Jugraj Singh, were depleted further when Ignace Tirkey and Prabhjot Singh suffered injuries on the face early in the match. -AFP