Kuala Lumpur: India lost 1-0 to the Netherlands in the semi-finals of the 15th Sultan Azlan Shah eight-nation hockey tournament at Kuala Lumpur on Monday to bring an end to their hopes of winning the title.
A 64th minte penalty corner conversion by Roderick Weushtof sealed the victory for Netherlands. Incidentally, it was the first Dutch conversion in the tournament.
The Dutch thus made their maiden entry into the final of this tournament where they await the winners of the second semi-finals between Australia and New Zealand.
India paid dearly for their defensive approach in contrast to the more positive Dutch who had the better of exchanges in a match that began in rain and ended in bright sunshine.
But the Indians did not feel the sun on the backs and in the closing minutes, the deep defence that had performed admirably for over an hour, succumbed to pressure leading to the penalty corner that Weushtof coverted with a neat drag-flick.
India did have their chances, but some wayward shooting denied them success.
Ironically, they received just one penalty corner, in the 42nd minute, but their drag-flick specialist was on the bench at that time, having been substituted a little while earlier.
Dilip Tirkey's direct hit was deflected out for an abortive corner.
The Indian forwards had a few pot-shots at the Dutch goal but with little conviction and the few times they got it right, goalkeeper Klaas Veering stood up to the challenge.
Much of the first-half was a cat-and-mouse affair with neither team prepared to go flat out.
Though the Dutch appeared more positive and forthright in their approach, the few penetrations they made into the Indian circle proved unsuccessful.
The Dutch had three clear attempts at goal but first Roger Hofman hit wide and then Weushtof was off the mark while in between, Teun de Nooijer essayed a reverse hit that goalkeeper Adrian D'Souza blocked easily.
At the other end, the Indians, as cautious and intent on keeping possession, were more circumspect.
They did put together a few good moves, but could not convert a couple of openings.
Gagan Ajit Singh hit wide at the end of a fine left-wing attack a little after Shivendra Singh had burst through in a solo run only to lose possession at the top of the circle.
The trend continued in the second-half, but the first signs of crack in the Indian midfield appeared.
Two mistakes by Vikram Pillay and Viren Rasquinha nearly resulted in goals for the Dutch who then gradually gained the upperhand.
The Indians made a few dangerous moves but Hari Prasad's attempt was parried by Veering and a couple of other counter-attacks came apart inside the striking circle.
In the second semi-final, Olympic champions Australia trounced New Zealand 7-1 to move to the final against the Netherlands on Sunday.
Grant Schubert (2), Luke Dorener (2), Matt Naylor, Travis Brookes and Dean Butler scored for Australia.
Richard Petherick converted a 69th minute penalty corner to provide some consolation to the Kiwis.
It was virtually a no-contest as the Aussies, winners of the Sultan Azlan Shah tournament four times, including the past two years, set a cracking pace from the start to over-run the Kiwis who had no answer to the muscle power of their arch-rivals.
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