India fail to qualify for junior world hockey medal round
By IANSFriday, June 12, 2009
SINGAPORE - India defeated Poland 4-2 in the last pool D match but failed to qualify for the medal round of the junior hockey World Cup here Friday.
New Zealand and the Netherlands played out a 2-2 draw to qualify for the next stage from the pool.
Netherlands win against New Zealand would have paved India’s way to the medal round.
Netherlands topped the group with 10 points, followed by New Zealand on eight points. India were placed third with seven points.
Indian skipper Diwakar Ram (50th min), Mohammad Amir (25), Pramod Kumar (29) and Victo Singh (70) scored one each while Krystian Makowski (41) and Piotr Kozlowski (44) slotted home for Poland.
India continued to miss scoring chances and failed to convert two penalty corners before Amir opened the scoring after latching onto a pass from Vikas Pillay from the right flank.
Pramod extended the lead, converting India’s third penalty corner to go 2-0 up in the breather.
In the second half, Poland showed more purpose and Makowski pulled one back before Kozlowski equalised through a short corner.
Diwakar handed India the lead and Singh scored just before the final whistle.
