India set-up Hockey Champions Trophy final against Australia
Breda, June 30: India managed to play a 1-1 draw with the Netherlands in their final round-robin game here on Saturday to set-up the Hockey Champions Trophy final against Australia.
Mandeep Singh (47th minute) scored for second-placed India, while Thiery Brinkmann (55th) scored for the third-placed Netherlands as the two teams ended the round-robin stage with eight and seven points respectively.
The Netherlands will meet Olympic champions Argentina in the bronze-medal playoff on Sunday after the South Americans defeated Australia 3-1 to take their points tally to seven -- same as the European team. But Argentina are in the fourth spot due to an inferior goal difference. Australia topped the table with 10 points.
The final will be a repeat of the 2016 edition when Australia got the better of India via a controversial penalty shootout.
India needed at least a draw against the Dutch to keep the opponent away from the place in the final.
Both teams showed urgency but India created a goal-scoring opportunity first with youngster Dilpreet Singh making the right call to ask for a video referral. The video umpire ruled in India' favour for a dangerous ball in the striking circle, though Harmanpreet Singh's powerful flick was brilliantly parried away by Dutch goalkeeper Sam van der Ven.
Immediately though, the home team launched a quick-fire counter with Seve van Ass taking a shot on goal. But with an in-form PR Sreejesh continuing his outstanding form at the goalpost made it difficult for the Dutch to convert.
India won their second penalty corner, thanks to Dilpreet again, but a variation saw Harmanpreet pass the ball to Varun Kumar after Sardar's injection but Varun couldn't get a strong push which was cleared quite effortlessly by the Dutch goalkeeper.
Though India gave away three penalty corners by half time, with no score on the board for either teams. The visitors' defence was compact, very alert and yet again had Sreejesh standout.
One of his best saves was when Jorrit Croon stole the ball from India's midfield to launch a swift counter, beating a fleet of Indian defenders to make it to their striking circle only to find a perfect pass to Thijs van Dam. But his shot was excellently saved by Sreejesh who remained the cynosure in India's defence.
With a goalless scoreboard, the third quarter was crucial. The Netherlands dominated with ball possession, making 20 circle entries and took six shots on goal. While India had made just 12 circle entries with four shots on goal.
India's backline continued to play to structure, with some clever defending while India had a better coordinated move up front with Sunil and Mandeep working in tandem but could not muster a goal in the third quarter.
India, however, opened the fourth quarter with all guns firing. The efforts won them their third penalty corner of the match in the opening minute. Though Harmanpreet's flick rebounded off the Dutch goalkeeper, Mandeep moved up front swiftly to put the ball into the goal and fetched his team the much-needed 1-0 lead in the 47th minute.
With time ticking away, Dutch fans rallied behind their home team with encouraging cheers. The home support worked with Brinkman working a stupendous goal from the baseline, beating Amit Rohidas's block to put the ball past Sreejesh and equalise.
With India needing a draw to make the final, it was a defensive, tactical battle for them. The Netherlands increased their pace in counters to put the Indian defence under stress.
Jeroen Hertzberger was the one to test the defenders with a splendid shot on goal but Sreejesh's diving effort averted the threat and Harmanpreet ensured they steered clear.
But Hertzberger's next attempt was simply unstoppable when he put the ball past Sreejesh but the Netherlands' 2-1 lead was denied by the umpires when it was ruled that the free hit just before Hertzberger's shot on goal was not taken as per the rules.
With just a little over a minute left for the final hooter, the Dutch won three back-to-back penalty corners but India held their nerves to avert the danger and seal the match with a 1-1 draw and place in the Final against Australia.
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59 percent voter turnout in first phase in J-K, polling peaceful: CEO
Jammu, Sep 18: A voter turnout of about 59 percent -- "the highest in the past seven elections" -- was recorded in the first phase of assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday, Chief Electoral Officer P K Pole said.
However, these are tentative figures and may rise after the final reports are received about postal ballots, and from remote pockets like Marwah, Wadwan, Dachhan and Machail in Kishtwar, the officer said.
Briefing mediapersons here after polling ended at 6 pm, Pole said the elections -- which covered 24 seats in seven districts -- ended peacefully without any untoward incident.
There are reports of some minor incidents of scuffle or argument from a few polling stations but "no serious incident" occurred that could have forced a repoll, he said.
Over 2.3 million voters were eligible to cast the ballot to determine the fate of 219 candidates, including 90 Independents.
"The polling percentage of 59 percent is highest in the past seven elections -- four Lok Sabha polls and three assembly elections," he said, attributing the increase in the voter turnout to various factors including improved security situation, active participation of political parties and candidates and a campaign by the department.
He said Kishtwar district recorded the highest 77 percent turnout, while Pulwama district witnessed the lowest 46 percent.
Doda district recorded a turnout of 69.33 percent, Ramban district 67.71 percent, Kulgam district 61.57 percent, Anantnag district 54.17 percent and Shopian district 53.64 percent.
In the 2014 assembly elections, the district wise poll percentage was: Pulwama 44 percent, Shopian 48 percent, Kulgam 59 percent, Anantnag 60 percent, Ramban 70 percent, Doda 73 percent and Kishtwar 76 percent.
In Kishtwar districts, he said, the Padder-Nagseni segment recorded the highest 80.67 percent voting followed by Inderwal (80.06 percent) and Kishtwar (78.11 percent).
In the nearby Doda district, Doda west segment recorded 75.98 percent, Doda (70.21 percent) and Bhaderwah (65.27 percent).
In Ramban district, Banihal segment recorded 71.28 percent and Ramban 67.34 percent, he said.
Among the seven constituencies of Anantnag district, Pahalgam recorded the highest voter turnout at 67.86 percent, followed by Kokernag (58 percent), Dooru (57.90 percent), Srigufwara-Bijbehara (56.02 percent), Shangus-Anantnag (52.94 percent), Anantnag West (45.93 percent) and Anantnag 41.58 percent, Pole said.
In Pulwama district, the CEO said, the Pulwama segment witnessed 50.42 percent polling, followed by Rajpora 48.07 percent, Pampore 44.74 percent and Tral 43.21 percent.
In Shopian district, the Shopian segment recorded a voter turnout of 54.72 percent and Zainapora 52.64 percent.
In Kulgam district, D H Pora recorded a turnout of 68 percent, Kulgam 62.70 percent and Devsar 57.33 percent, Pole said.
He said seven districts of south Kashmir had been traditionally low poll percentage constituencies and in some of the past elections, the percentage had not even crossed the single digit.
Asked about a social media video purportedly showing a policeman losing temper and aiming his gun before being overpowered by his colleagues outside a polling station in Kishtwar, he said the district election officer and the returning officer concerned have taken note and issue was resolved amicably.
PDP and BJP candidates were involved in an argument at the polling station.
Pole expressed hope that the remaining two phases on September 25 and October 1 will also see high polling percentage.
Meanwhile, the election commission expressed satisfaction over the long queues of voters at the polling stations showcasing the entire world, the deep trust and confidence of the people of J&K in the democratic exercise.
The polling was held across 3,276 Polling Stations in the seven districts and 24 special polling stations set up for migrant pandits in Jammu, Udhampur and Delhi.
According to officials, 31.42 percent of the more than 35,000 eligible kashmiri migrant voters exercised their franchise. While 27 percent cast their votes at 19 polling stations in Jammu, 40 percent at four polling stations in Delhi and 30 percent at one polling station in Udhampur.
In each of the seven districts where voting was held in the first phase, the voter participation exceeded the participation during the Lok Sabha 2024 elections, the election commission said in a release.
The performance builds on the trend witnessed during the Lok Sabha elections in Jammu and Kashmir which saw a voter turnout of 58.58 percent at polling stations, highest in the last 35 years.
Voting began at 7 am and proceeded steadily through the day. Men and women, the young and old, some too frail to walk and others patiently waiting their turn, queued up outside polling booths across Kashmir Valley and Jammu.
Security forces fanned out to ensure that there was no trouble. The day was largely without incident except for reports of clashes between political workers in some areas of Bijbehara and D H Pora.
