European Giants Germany And Netherlands Clash on Delhi Turf
New Delhi, March 6 – History favours holders Germany while current form points to the Netherlands as the two European titans battle it out for Pool A honours in the Hockey World Cup here at the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium Sunday.
The Netherlands lead the Pool with nine points after winning all their three games, while Germany are two points behind them and both sides appear near certainties to take the semi final berths, unless a series of upset results spoil their calculations.
Hockey aficionados would be hoping for a cracker of a contest as the rivalry between the two nations is akin to the intensity witnessed in India-Pakistan battles.
‘Yes, the Dutch and the Germans are great hockey rivals, but unlike a India-Pakistan game, which is a very open, a Netherlands-Germany encounter is the battle of wits,’ said Netherlands coach Michel van den Hueve.
The Germans, eying their third consecutive Cup victory after top finishes in 2002 and 2006, started the tournament on a jarring note finishing 2-2 with Asian champions Korea, before crushing Canada 6-0 and then surviving some torrid moments while prevailing over Argentina 4-3 Friday.
The Germans, fielding a young and inexperienced side, have been well served by their teenage forward Florian Fuchs, who has already slammed three goals in the tournament.
But coach Markus Weise has admitted that the his charges need to lift their performance in the games ahead.
‘I am happy with the result (against Argentina), but not with the performance. We are lucky to escape with a win. We were poor in the second half and there were phases when cracks were visible in our defence,’ said Weise.
German goalkeeper Tim Jessulat also had a bad day in office Friday, and the team management would be hoping for a better performance from him.
The reigning Olympic champions have reached World Cup semi finals in 10 of their 11 appearances, with the only failure coming in the first edition at Bercelona 39 years ago.
Head-to-head, too, the Germans are ahead of the Dutch. In seven World Cup meetings, including three when West Germany existed, the Netherlands have managed to win only once, and that came 20 years back in 1990. The Dutch won the semi-final outing 3-2 and then went to claim the title.
The last World Cup encounter between the two ended 2-2, but the Dutch have won their last two matches, at the Champions Trophy in 2008 and 2009.
The Dutch have played a flowing game in the Cup so far, scoring 12 goals, with their redoubtable drag flicker Taeke Taekema striking half of them – all from penalty corners.
The 30 year-old player now has a tally of 19 World Cup goals to be third in the all-time scorers list.. He needs two more goals to equal compatriots Ties Kruize’s 21 and seven to be on a par with top-scorer Paul Litjens, also a Dutch, who has netted 26.
The Dutchare also depending heavily on the playmaking of skipper
Teun de Nooijer, who has played his role to perfection so far. The Netherlands defence has also put up a solid performance, letting only one goal in the three matches, as opposed to a dozen scored by the team. In another match of the same pool, Korea — on the verge of missing a semi-final cut with only four points from three games – will clash with Canada. New Zealand, on six points, is third in the Pool, and have to win by a big margin against Argentina to keep their semi final hopes alive.
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