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23 April 2004
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Friday
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02 Rabi-ul-Awwal 1425
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Last-gasp goal deny India victory over Australia
SYDNEY, April 22: India and Australia fought out a 2-2 draw in the mens field hockey Four-Nations Challenge on Thursday. With the score tied at 1-1 going into the last ten minutes
, India grabbed the lead through Deepak Thakur and with it looked to have the match won.
High tension in the dying minutes saw Australias Mark Knowles and Indias Jatinder Pal Singh and Gagan Ajit Singh given yellow cards before the Indian team mobbed umpire Krishnamurthy when Australia was awarded a penalty corner. Australias Travis Brooks duly scored the equaliser, 68 seconds before the final hooter.
Indian coach Rajinder Singh took comfort from his team's improved performance following a 3-0 loss to Malaysia yesterday. Australia scored first, after Andrew Smiths drag flick from the top of the circle was run down and Michael McCann pushed to the left post for Jamie Dwyer to score.
Jatinder Pal Singh came on in the middle of the first half and converted from a penalty corner, scoring Indias first goal against Australia in three matches with a sizzling, waist-high drag flick inside the left post.
Indian fans found their voice nine minutes from time when Deepak put India in the lead, scoring at the left post from a pass from Inderjeet Singh. The pressure to equalise and save the match saw Australia squander several chances, but Travis Brooks stayed focussed and scored from a pass by Adam Commens in the penultimate minute.
Barry Dancer, Australias coach, was critical after the match. "There was not enough composure from our team. We have prided ourselves in being controlled on the field in our emotions. There were situations tonight we did not handle particularly well," he said.
In the earlier match tonight, Malaysia defeated South Africa 2-1 to gain its second straight win having beaten India yesterday. Friday is a rest day for all the teams. On Saturday, Australia play Malaysia and South Africa meet India in the last round-robin matches before Sundays final. -AFP
Australia 2 India 2
Malaysia 2 S. Africa 1
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