Two down Germany rally to hold Korea (Lead)
March 1st, 2010 - 11:15 pm ICT by IANSNew Delhi, March 1 (IANS) Defending champions Germany saved the blushes with a second-half comeback to finish 2-2 against Asian Games gold medallists Korea in a Pool A game of the Hockey World Cup here Monday.
Trailing 0-2 at the breather, the Germans, who have come with a relatively inexperienced team, stepped up the gear in the second session to score the reducer courtesy an outstanding strike by the promising Florian Fuchs (50th min) before Benjamin Wess (58th) got his maiden World Cup goal as the tournament had its first drawn game.
Earlier, the fleet-footed Koreans rattled the Germans with breakaway moves with Hye-Sung Hyun (4th) and Nam Yong Lee (15th) striking home at the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium here.
Asian champions Korea went ahead from their first penalty corner. Hyun found the target with a drag flick that gave no chance to German goalkeeper Max Weinhold.
The Germans tried to build up pressure but the Korean defence looked solid. The Asian team looked dangerous whenever they launched their fast counterattacks.
Lee doubled the lead with a spectacular reverse stick goal from almost a zero angle to raise the possibility of yet another upset after England’s shock win over hot favourites Australia in a Pool B outing Sunday.
However, the Germans were determined in the second session and forced the Koreans to go onto the defensive.
The 18-year-old Fuchs showed fine athleticism to connect a feed from Moritz Furste by diving full length, and made the scoreline 2-1.
Having tasted blood, the Germans increased the tempo and soon enough Korean goalkeeper Myung Ho Lee, who had a good day under the bar bringing off several saves, thwarted a penalty corner taken by Furste.
The Germans, eyeing a hat-trick of World Cup titles after their triumphs in 2002 and 2006, evened out the things as Wess scored from close.
The last few minutes were highly absorbing as both sides played a pacy game, looking to break the deadlock.
Korea, however, could have had the last laugh but for Lee who missed a sitter in the 64th minute.
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Tags: asian games, asian team, athleticism, blushes, dhyan chand, drawn game, games gold, gold medallists, hockey world cup, hye sung, inexperienced team, nam yong, second session, sung hyun, target, wess, world cup goal, world cup titles, yong lee, zero angle