June 19, 2006	Monday	Jumadi-ul-Awwal 22, 1427

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KUALA LUMPUR, June 18: Four-time Sultan Azlan Shah Cup champions Australia started their campaign on Sunday with a convincing 4-1 win over India.

The Australians, also reigning Olympic champions, scored two goals in each half of the Group A match to take full points.

In another Group A game, South Korea and Malaysia played out a 2-2 draw.

India had their first good look at goal when Rajpal Singh missed an open chance after being put through by Tushar Khandkar.

But the Australians used their speed to break through and scored in the seventh minute when Troy Elder pounced on a rebound from Brent Livermore.

The Aussies kept up the attack and in the 11th minute, Matt Naylor scored off a field attempt from close range.

It was only in the 22nd minute that the Indians scored, when Tejbir Singh neatly finished after a clearance from defence.

The second half started with both teams pushing hard. The pace slowed after rain began to fall, but Naylor found ample space in the 41st minute to score again.

After a 15-minute stoppage due to heavy rain, the game resumed with the Australians in control.

In the 62nd minute, the Aussies earned their third penalty corner with Luke Doerner scoring with a direct drag flick to complete a 4-1 win.

Australian coach Barry Dancer said he was satisfied with the scoreline.

“We played well enough to create good scoring chances. We have had two good practice matches prior to the tournament, and as such we were in a good frame of mind for the game,” he said.

“Our objective is to keep to our playing structure and at the same time ensure that some of the new players in the team fit into our style,” he said.

Indian coach V. Bhaskaran admitted they paid the price for missing several chances but expected his team to improve in the coming matches.

“We play Malaysia tomorrow and I expect improvement all round. The players were positive after the match and we will lift ourselves up for the next game.

The defeat has not dented our semi-final hopes,” he said.

In their Group A match against South Korea, the Malaysians took the lead twice, but each time their opponents came back to equalise.

Mohamed Shukri Mutalib gave the hosts the lead in the 14th minute before You Hyo-sik drew South Korea level with a field goal in the 58th minute.

Malaysia were again in front in the 62nd minute through Chua Boon Huat, but two minutes from time, the South Koreans scored from a penalty corner attempt from Jang Jong-hyun.

Earlier, New Zealand got off to a flying start when they came back from a two-goal deficit to beat Argentina 3-2 in the opening match of the tournament.

Argentina, ranked sixth in the world, were the better side in the first half as they scored from two penalty corner set piece moves.

Their 26-year-old Matias Villa was the hero as he struck from the penalty corners in the third and 28th minute.

But the second half saw the Kiwis switch tactics and attack more down the flanks.

Argentina coach Roberto Vigil said his team failed to keep up the pace in the second half.

“New Zealand played a much better game in the second half and their change in tactics worked in their favour as well,” he said.

The Kiwis took just two minutes to reduce the deficit in the second half.

Earning their first penalty corner in the 37th minute, Hayden Shaw flicked the ball past goalkeeper Juan Manuel Vivaldi.

The equaliser came from Gareth Brooks in the 41st minute, while Richard Petheric gave the Kiwis with the winner in the 62nd minute, the goal coming from a penalty corner. —AFP