Hockey WC: India fails to secure direct quarter-final berth despite win over Wales
India defeated Hockey World Cup debutant Wales 4-2 on Thursday (January 19) in Bhubaneswar but failed to secure a direct qualification into the quarter-finals of the 16-team tournament.
Playing its last league game in Pool D of the FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup, India needed to defeat Wales by a big margin to pip England to the top spot. But Wales did not allow the host nation to dominate.
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With seven points from three games, England topped Pool D to book a spot in the quarter-finals. England, in its last league game on Thursday, defeated Spain 4-0. India too finished on seven points but England topped with a superior goal difference.
Now, India has to play in the crossover round to qualify for the last-eight stage. On January 22 (Sunday), India faces New Zealand in Bhubaneswar.
Netherlands sets record
Earlier in the day, three-time champion Netherlands registered a record-breaking 14-0 win over debutant Chile to secure a direct qualification into the quarter-finals, while Malaysia stunned New Zealand 3-2 to finish second in Pool C in Bhubaneswar.
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With three wins from as many games, the Netherlands finished at the top of Pool C with maximum nine points, while Malaysia was second with six points from two victories.
In the second match of the day, world No.3 Netherlands toyed with Chile, ranked 23rd, and scored goals at will to register the biggest margin of victory in a World Cup match.
Jeet gaya bhai jeet gaya, India jeet gaya 🤩
🇮🇳 IND 4-2 WAL 🏴#INDvsWAL #HockeyIndia #IndiaKaGame #HWC2023 #HockeyWorldCup2023 #StarsBecomeLegends @CMO_Odisha @sports_odisha @IndiaSports @Media_SAI @HockeyWales pic.twitter.com/r6xv70ZjhW
— Hockey India (@TheHockeyIndia) January 19, 2023
The record for the biggest margin of win in a hockey World Cup match was earlier held by world No.1 Australia, who thrashed South Africa 12-0 in New Delhi.
Jip Janssen (6th, 29th, 34th, 44th minutes) and skipper Thierry Brinkman (25th, 33rd, 58th) scored a hat-trick each, while Koen Bijen (40th, 45th) struck a brace.
Derck de Vilder (22nd), Thijs van Dam (23rd), Terrance Pieters (37th), Justen Blok (42nd) and Teun Beins (48th) were the other goal-getters for the Dutch. Janssen’s all four goals came from penalty corners.
The Netherlands, who have won the World Cup thrice and finished runners-up in the last two editions, earned 18 penalty corners from which they converted six, while Chile got just two PCs in the match.
(With agency inputs)