Any hopes of the Indian hockey team to make it to the finals of Champions Trophy hockey tournament were totally lost as host Australia completely dominated on Saturday by winning the match 0-3 in a no-contest match. The Indians will now be fighting for a bronze medal to save some grace. No Indian fan must have expected such a humiliating loss after the team performed superbly during the preliminary stages.
An injury-prone India made no contest as the title defenders Australia won 3-0 in a one-sided semifinal match. The Oz team scored courtesy skipper Jamie Dwyer (fifth and 18th minutes) and Kieran Govers (42nd) post territorial domination meted out to the Indians, who were often made to hold back and defend against the determined opposition strikers.
The Australians remained on course for their fifth successive title, who will now be playing in the final against Olympic silver medallists Netherlands, which won against Pakistan 5-2 in the other semifinal.
India's dream run came to an abrupt end, but they remain in fray for their first Champions Trophy medal in three decades. They will now be pitted against Pakistan, in a sub-continental clash on Sunday for the bronze medal.
The team's lone Champions Trophy medal was a bronze one, came in 1982. Pakistan beat India to receive bronze medals for three consecutive years from 2002-04.
Competing against a rapid attacking game from Australia on Saturday pressed the accelerator from the start and ensured in a penalty corner for the first time in the second minute, but Christopher Ciriello's compelling shot was given as a foul for pouncing upon onrushing defender's body.
Dwyer began the scoring spree in the fifth minute, making maximum use of a rebound during Australia's second penalty; post Ciriello's drag-flick that was contained by a defender.
The team Down Under enhanced the lead in the 18th minute by taking advantage of a penalty stroke, which was ruled as a foul and was committed on Dwyer in a scoring moment.
Dwyer had already experienced two chances. The first one was avoided by goalie TR Potunuri and the second one was successfully encountered into play off post.
India tried inflicting few blows with a couple of attacks in the middle through the first session, but did not result in enough trouble to the Australian defence.
Australian striker Kieren Govers flicked into an open goal for his side as third goal seven minutes after half-time when the Indian defence was beaten by a square pass from Trent Mitton.
Australia might have scored a couple of more goals because of the fouls that put pressure on the Indian defence, which was not in its elements right from the start of the game. But Potunuri made few spectacular saves on penalty corners.
India's lone take on the opposition goalpost was in the 45th minute when Danish Kaneria obtained a shy off a pass from SV Sunil, who was included on Saturday even after a hamstring strain, as was the case with skipper Sardar Singh and Manpreet Singh.
