JOHOR BAHRU, 28 Okt — Pemain Jepun Yuta Morishita diasak pemain Amerika Syarikat Vincent Heller pada Kejohanan Hoki Antarabangsa Bawah 21 Tahun Piala Sultan Johor 2017 di Stadium Hoki Taman Daya Johor Bahru hari ini.
–fotoBERNAMA (2017) HAK CIPTA TERPELIHARA

 

# Great Britain knock India out of the final with a 2-1 win
 
# Australia beat Malaysia 3-1 to advance
 
# USA end round robin without a goal and a point after 13-0 drubbing by Japan
 
 
 
The 7th edition of the annual Sultan of Johor Cup Under-21 Invitational Tournament will see defending champions Australia battle Great Britain for the silverware in the final on Saturday.
 
Great Britain handed India a painful 2-1 defeat in the first match of the day on Saturday to finish on the top of the table and complete their preliminary round matches with an unbeaten record with 15 points.
 
The Indians have only themselves to blame for the defeat. In a match played under hot and humid conditions at the Taman Daya Hockey Stadium in Johor Baru the British went about their demolition job – riding on India’s below par performance in sweltering heat.
 
Goals by Tom Sorsby and skipper Jack Waller in the 25th and 54th minutes respectively were enough for the British to advance – their third final in as many years after winning the trophy in 2015 and runners-up last year.
 
India, who needed a win to stay afloat, scored their consolation goal through Raushan Kumar in the 28th minute.
 
“We did not take our chances well and I am really disappointed,” said India’s head coach Jude Felix Sebastian after the match, adding that some of the decisions did not go India’s way, which also left him disappointed.
 
His British counterpart Jon Bleby was one happy man and said: “It was a tough game under hot conditions but I am excited to take the team to the final again.”
 
Two-time champions India, winner of the trophy in 2013 and 2014. will now play Malaysia in the playoff for third and fourth placing. 
 
Australia handed Malaysia a 3-1 defeat in their last preliminary round to reach the final – their second in as many years.
 
Meanwhile, the United States of America, continued with their miserable and winless run in the tournament after Japan hit them 14-0 – which left the Americans without a goal and a point to show and conceded a massive 84 goals.
 
The two teams clash again on Sunday in the 5th and 6th placing. –BY RIZAL ABDULLAH 
 
RESULTS (OCT 28)
 
Great Britain     2     India     1
 
Australia     3     Malaysia     1
 
Japan     14     USA    0
 
 
 
 
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