Australia thrash India 4-1

AMSTELVEEN: Except for brief periods in the first half, India were thoroughly outplayed by Australia in the third match of both sides in the 25th Champions Trophy here on Tuesday.
The way the game started hardly anyone could have predicted as one-sided a result as 4-1 in Australia’s favour. And to be frank it could have been much worse, but for some amazing goalkeeping by Devesh Chauhan, who saved more than a handful of chances, including a penalty stroke taken by Brent Livermore in the first half.Australia’s 4-1 win included three from Grant Schubert.
The Australian forward was left unmarked on so many occasions. In between Troy Elder sneaked in a penalty stroke. One of the biggest mistakes that India made was leaving gaping holes in the defence. Schubert was left with a guard and his second and third goals were on account of that. He was lying in wait and simply swept in from close to the left of the goal, while Chauhan was trying to defend the other end.
India, who should have taken a lead in the first half itself actually went into the second trailing by one, a goal scored by Schubert. In the second half, Dean Butler put Livermore through and he in turn sent the ball to an unmarked Schubert, who swept in the ball easily to make it 2-0. Troy Elder converted a stroke hitting low to Chauhan’s right and then India got a consolation goal when Dilip Tirkey shot home off a rebound of his own first shot. It made the score 3-1. But then Troy Elder once again put Schubert through and he made no mistake as he slotted a goal similar to his previous one. Try as India did, they were not able to reduce the margin and it now puts them behind the Australians, who have four points to India’s three.
Netherlands have six and are in lead. There is no point in playing well but not converting the chances that you get. That was the story of the Indian team in the first half. Time and again, they played fast and furious hockey, created moves, but were not able to finish them. Ignace Tirkey, Gagan Ajit Singh, Prabhjot Singh and to some extent even Dhanraj Pillay were unable to deliver that final shot that matters and counts. However, Pillay played rather well and created a lot of moves play for his teammates who did not measure upto the standards expected at this level in matter of converting chances. No comment on the first half can be complete without a mention of goalkeeper Devesh Chauhan, who had a brilliant half.
He brought about some fantastic saves, including one penalty stroke taken by Brent Livermore in the 32nd move. Chauhan thwarted virtually all the Australia forwards and rushed forward well and at the same time on other occasions stayed back and cleared the ball well. The Australians wasted three penalty corners and off the third Jugraj Singh got hurt, when the dangerous shot hit him and he limped off for a while. The Australians’ goal came from Grant Schubert, off a counter move. It was a small lapse on part of the defence, as Dilip Tirkey instead of clearing the ball right in front of the goalmouth, deflected and Schubert got hold off and shot him for an unexpected goal.