India out of medal contention despite win over South Africa

Melbourne, Mar 22: A dispirited India scored a goal in each half to down South Africa 2-0 but could not make it to the semi finals of the men's hockey competition as Malaysia qualified with a better goal difference despite losing to Pakistan 6-5 in the Commonwealth Games here today.

Pakistan topped pool 'B' with 10 points while Malaysia and India finished with seven points each. In the league matches Malaysia scored 16 goals and conceded eight, while India scored 14 and conceded six taking the goal difference of both the teams to eight.

However, Malaysia qualified because they scored more goals than India.

It was very clear from the outset that Pakistan and Malaysia were playing with a tacit understanding to keep India out and the two teams succeeded in their efforts as India were left to rue the chances they missed in the earlier matches.

They have no one else but themselves to blame for their fate because the Indians were expecting ''mercy'' from Pakistan which never came. In international competitions teams have to win on their own strength rather than depend on other off-field combinations.

It is a moot point whether India would have made it to the semis if they had beaten South Africa by a bigger margin because the way Pakistan and Malaysia played it was clear that India stood no chance of qualifying.

Back to India-South Africa match, Sandeep Singh (fifth) and Tushar Khandekar (51st) were the scorers for India.

It was yet another depressing display by the Indians who needed a big win but wasted couple of sitters even in this crucial tie.

The Indians started with flourish forcing their only penalty corner of the match in the fifth minute and Sandeep Singh, with a powerful drag flick to the right, sent the ball home (1-0).

But Indians flattered to decieve as they produced listless hockey for the remaining period of this half. The forwards lacked ideas and the mid fielders were not cohesive putting pressure on the defence.

It was goalkeeper Bharat Chettri, who came to India's rescue with four outstanding saves.

The Indians had more of the ball share and they did control the mid field but that did not help in producing the goals which they needed.

Deepak Thakur, Tejbir Singh and Tushar Khandekar did lot of meaningless running around and Didar and Sardar Singh -- the two other forwards -- were no better. The Africans crowded their defence and the Indians found it hard to get past them. The forwards soon realised the futility of their attacks and went for penalty corners but that effort also failed.

The South Africans, despite being defensive, made few tearaway counter attacks which rattled the Indians but Bharat Chettri stood like a rock and did not allow the Africans to create any major ripple.

India had a good chance to increase the lead in the 10th minute when Arjun Halappa created an opening from the right for Deepak Thakur, who had only the goal keeper to beat, but the striker fumbled with the ball and his feeble push was cleared by custodian Christopher Hibbert.

Against the run of play, the South Africans launched a tearaway counter move which resulted in a penalty corner but Kenneth Forbes's powerful flick was superbly saved by Bharat Chettri.

The Indians then resumed their offensive and in the 18th minute Tushar Khandekar generated a move from the left flank but Tejbir undid all the good work in the rival circle. Three minutes later Tejbir moved up but wasted the effort after taking the ball near the circle.

Arjun Halappa, Ignace Tirkey and Vikram Pillay regrouped themselves and started feeding the forwards but neither Rajpal nor Deepak and Tejbir could make any incisive move.

The Indians, despite controlling the midfield for most of the time, never looked threatening while the Africans with their lightning raids created panic in the rival defence.

Four minutes before the breather, the South Africans launched a furious counter attack from the right and Jody Paul darted past couple of defenders but his powerful shot from top of the circle was brillantly saved by Bharat.

The Indians could not make use of the open space they got because the Africans became defensive and their only intention seemed to be to earn penalty corners but their rivals denied them those chances.

The first 10 minutes of the second half saw Indians pressing hard for another goal. They attacked from all angles and flanks but the goal proved elusive.

The Indians muffed a chance when Tejbir and Thakur created an opening only to be foiled by the goalkeeper. Despite having 10 players in South African half, the former Asian Champions could not get the breakthrough.

After being pushed into defensive for 10 minutes, the South Africans, in their bid to take off the pressure, made a scathing counter attack which fetched them their second penalty corner.

However once again Bharat came to his side's rescue when he blocked an indirect attempt from Ian Symons.

A minute later Tejbir ran down the left flank and after beating a couple of players relayed the ball to Tushar Khandekar, who for once made no mistake in scoring a stunning goal (2-0).

Two minutes later, Indians missed a sitter. Didar created an opening for Deepak in the rival circle, the striker just had to push the ball home, but he failed to intercept.

This was the easiest possible chance a team could get.

The Africans then made another tearaway move and forced the third penalty corner, which went begging. And then moments before the match ended, all their attempts to increase the tally flopped because of poor finishing.

In fact India were lucky to end the day without conceding a goal, thanks to some good goal keeping.

Playing against a new and raw South african side, India were far from impressive. They were disjointed in offence and fragile in defence.

Coach Rajinder singh was unhappy with the team's showing but was looking upset after Pakistan-Malaysia match.

''What can I say, you have all watched the match (Pak-Malaysia),'' he said.

UNI