Thaindian News

By Sirshendu Panth
New Delhi, March 13 (IANS) Australia broke a 24-year jinx to win the Hockey World Cup for the second time as Luke Doerner slammed home a penalty-corner winner to beat defending champions Germany 2-1 in a thrilling final here Saturday.

The Aussies, runners-up to Germany in the previous two summit battles, were third time lucky as they blunted the Germany’s all-round hockey, their signature-tune, and overpowered them to repeat their 1986 triumph. Australia had then beaten hosts England 2-1 in the final at Willesden (London) and their today’s win over Germany in the World Cup came after 16 years, having beaten them for third place 5-2 in 1994.

Earlier, the Netherlands beat England 4-3 for third place finish

Edward Ockenden scored the first Australian goal (6th minute) and Doerner’s goal came in the 60th minute. Moritz Furste (48th) scored the lone German goal. The closely contested game saw a high class hockey with the ball scurrying from end to end, giving the near-capacity crowd at the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium their money’s worth.

The Aussies, however, looked more lethal upfront and the number of their attempts at the goal was an indication of their domination. While the victors took 13 tries, the Germans could only look in five times and their dream of a Cup hat-trick was shattered.

Australia forged ahead when Eckenden netted from a goalmouth melee, giving no chance to goalkeeper Tim Jessulat.

There was no goal till the breather, though it was the Germans who should have scored first, if only Philip Wittle had not missed the target in the initial minutes of the match. Thereafter the Germans were on the defensive, stretching themselves to contain the rampaging Kookaburras.

Both sides got one penalty corner each in the first half, but Germany’s Haner’s was wayward while Doerner’s set-piece was blocked by Jessulat.

The Aussies won an early penalty corner in the second session that saw German captain Maximillian Muller saving the Doerner hit on the goalline. A little later, Germans survived a scare as Grant Schubert missed the target by inches.

The Germans seemed more determined and pressed hard showing good penalty-corner variations. They drew level from one such set-piece as Haner sold a dummy and passed it on to Furste who flicked into the net, drawing huge applause from an appreciative crowd.

But Germany’s relief was only temporary as man-of-the-match Doerner struck the bullet-like winner.

Doerner thus finished with eight goals to emerge as the tournament’s joint top scorer with Taeke Taekema.

A desperate Germany went all out for the equaliser, but the Aussie defence stood firm, and at the other end

Jessulat brought off a double save to thwart the eventual champions in an exhilarating finish.