Australia set up yet another India-Pakistan clash when they hammered Argentina 8-3to join Holland in the final of the 25th Champions Trophy in Amstelveen today.
The victory took Australia's tally to 10 points at the end of the league, while Argentina, who needed to win today tomake the final, remained on six, the same as India.
However, India (-2) finished ahead of Argentina (-5) in the league standings on superior goal-difference.
India thus will play Pakistan tomorrow for the bronze medal. Argentina take on Germany for the 5-6 spots.
The awesome Aussie firepower was well in evidence as Michael McCann (12th, 53rd), Craig Victory (28th), GrantSchubert (39th, 56th), Troy Elder (55th), Robert Hammond (59th) and Tristam Woodhouse (63rd) came up with clinicalfinishes.
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Argentina, hopelessly outplayed in the second-half, had their moments of success when Jorge Lombi (45th, 68th) andCarlos Retegui (57th) scored.
The score-line would suggest a one-sided encounter, but it was only in the latter stages of the second-half did theAussies really took control, for until then, Argentina were very much in the game.
The Aussie play underlined their strong team work marked by quick releases, accurate passing and a sure finish, be itin field play or during penalty corners.
Argentina were looking to nurse their goal-difference which would have put them up for a play-off against Pakistanfor 3-4 positions. But, on the day, they had just no answer to the Aussies who were unstoppable in the second-half.
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Such was the Aussie pace that their forwards frequently outran the rival defenders who left far too much space due topoor marking. Even then, the Argentines fought hard, but ran out of time and steam at the finish.
Australia, who played the last few minutes with nine players following yellow cards to Zain Wright and Paul Gaudoin, managed to thwart the Argentine forwards, who made a frantic attempt to reduce the margin in a bid to qualify forthe bronze medal match.
Later, in an inconsequential match, the Netherlands got past Germany 6-0,without raising much of a sweat and top the table with 13 points. Germany,fielding a development team, suffered their fifth straight defeat.
The Dutch virtually sealed the issue in the first-half when, during anine-minute spell, they struck thrice through penalty corner specialist BramLomans (20th, 29th) and Karel Klaver (25th) before easing off.
Late in the game, ace playmaker Teun de Nooijer got into the act by scoring thefourth in the 62nd minute and another in the 68th. In the final minute, FlorisEvers made it 6-0 to complete the German misery
PTI
