Bhubaneswar: France were required to recreate a miracle (which they worked against Argentina) on Wednesday against defending champions Australia to continue their Hockey World Cup campaign. But, unfortunately for them, miracles occur rarely. Despite a valiant fight, the lowest-ranked side of the tournament lost 3-0 to the highest-ranked team.
Jeremy Hayward (4’), Blake Govers (19’) and Aran Zalewski (37’) scored to put Australia into their 11th straight World Cup semi-final. Australia, in Saturday’s semi-final, will take on the winners of the India versus Netherlands match.
The Aussies, clad in their yellow sleeveless jerseys, flaunting their biceps, and showed off their might from the start. They took the lead four minutes after the match began.
Jeremy Hayward drag-flicked a ball with plenty of power under France goalkeeper Arthur Thieffry’s legs and into the net. Australia would have doubled their lead had Jake Whetton’s shot from the left flank, instead of hitting the post, went a couple of inches rightwards.
Australia’s second goal – that came in the second quarter – too, was off a penalty corner. This time, Blake Govers, flexing his muscles, flicked the ball furiously onto the bottom-left corner. The French ‘keeper Arthur Thieffry can’t be blamed for not blocking that shot.
France, in the second quarter, came close to scoring when Aristide Coisine from the left flank had just the Australian ‘keeper, Arthur Thieffry, to beat. Coisine, instead of scooping the ball, hit it straight to Thieffry.
France got their sole penalty corner of the first half in the last minute of the second quarter. But captain Victor Charlet’s drag-flick was blocked by an onrushing Trent Mitton.
The Australians, most often, burst into the French penalty circle from the middle. The French, at times, couldn’t keep up with the pace of the defending champions.
The incessant attacks yielded Australia another penalty corner, which skipper Aran Zalewski scored off. Blake Govers, instead of going for a drag-flick, pushed the ball to Matt Dawson, who, then, passed to Zalewski waiting near the left post.