MALAYSIA BEATS NETHERLANDS N.Z. misses World Cup semi-finals

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33790, 12 March 1975, Page 36

MALAYSIA BEATS NETHERLANDS N.Z. misses World Cup semi-finals

(By

DEREK ROUND,

N.Z.P.A. staff correspondent.)

KUALA LUMPUR.

New Zealand’s hopes of making the World Cup hockey semi-finals were dashed in Kuala Lumpur when Malaysia scored a convincing, 2-1, victory over the Netherlands, the defending world champion.

A Dutch win would have meant a play-off with New Zealand for a berth in the semi-finals.

The New Zealanders will now play-off for fifth to eighth places, and are expected to meet Australia in the first game today.

New Zealand finished third in Group A, and Australia was third in Group B. On its form New Zealand has a good chance of bettering its seventh placing at the last World Cup in Amsterdam.

The Dutch, who were beaten by New Zealand and lost in an upset to Poland on Monday, have toppled from champions to bottom of Group A—a fair indication of the way fortunes have fluctuated at the tournament. Heat trouble The Netherlands, who were playing their third 8 a.m. game in a row, were obviously suffering more from the heat than the Malaysians yesterday and flopped on the ground exhausted at the final whistle. The Malaysians, who drew with New Zealand in the opening game of the tournament, will play India in the semi-final, and Pakistan, which headed Group A—undefeated with 8 points—plays West Germany. ; The winner of the New | Zealand-Australia match will [ play the winner of the England-Spain game for fifth and sixth places. The New Zealanders, who have been a popular team at the tournament, got a big ovation from the Malaysian crowd when they left the ground after watching i’Malaysia beat the Netheri lands.

There were shouts of “hard luck Kiwis” as their bus inched through the i crowd lining the route from (the stadium. Malaysia’s 2-1 victory over [the Netherlands was a surprise. It led 1-0 at half time. Sri Shanmuganathan and Poon Fook Loke scored for Malaysia. Ties Kruize scored for the Netherlands.

Hockey officials say it will

be difficult to pick the winner of the tournament.

“They have all got an even chance, as all of them are strong teams that have played well to emerge semifinalists,” said one member of the organising committee. The Indian team manager and former Indian hockey captain (Balbir Singh) said his team played best in this tournament in its match against West Germany on Monday when the Munich Olympics gold medallist was defeated, 3-1. “If my players continue to play that way we may not only be in the final but may win the tournament as well,” he said.

The Malaysians are considered by some officials as the weakest in the semi-finals, but as they pointed out the Malaysians have the home ground advantage with the crowds cheering them on

and the rainy or sunny tropical weather affecting them very little. West Germany is scheduled to play Pakistan today in the first semi-final, and the IndiaMalaysia semi-final will be tomorrow. Favoured India and Pakistan are picked by some as the favourites. The tropical climate has affected the Europeans more. Pakistan was the winner of the first tournament in 1971 and was also the Asian Games gold medallist last year. ' Final standings:—

GROUP P W A D L F A Pts Pakistan . 5 3 2 0 14 6 8 Malaysia . 5 2 2 1 6 4 6 New Zealand 5 2 1 2 5 6 5 Spain . 5 2 1 2 5 9 Holland . 5 1 1 3 9 9 3 Poland . 0 1 1 3 8 13 3 GROUP B India 5 3 1 1 14 5 7 W. Germany 5 3 1 1 13 9 7 Australia . 5 2 2 1 16 6 6 Argentina 5 2 1 2 9 12 5 England . 5 2 1 2 13 10 5 Ghana . 5 0 0 5 4 27 0