JOIN USIndians finish fourth
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Pakistan scored through Muhammad Rizwan Junior (22nd minute), Shafqat Rasool (41st) and Muhammad Ateeq (66th) to overcome India, for whom V Raghunath (7th minute) and Rupinderpal Singh (70th) scored through penalty corners.
Three-time Champions Trophy winners Pakistan’s last medal came at Lahore in 2004, where too they won the bronze by overcoming India in the play-off.
In fact, Pakistan’s last four medals in the Champions Trophy have come at the expense of India, who have lost bronze medal matches to Pakistan in 2002, 2003, 2004 and now in 2012.
India took the early lead when VR Raghunath converted a penalty corner by sending a low drag-flick into the left corner. Pakistan equalised in the 22nd minute through Muhammad Rizwan Junior, who sent a soaring shot from top of the circle after being put in possession by Fareed Ahmed.
India started the second half by earning a penalty corner, but Raghunath’s shot was too weak to cause any threat to the rival goal.
Pakistan went ahead seven minutes into the second session when Rasool’s bouncing shot from close range beat goalkeeper PT Rao. The game was put out of India’s reach by Ateeq’s penalty corner conversion in the 66th minute, when he sent a carpet-hugging shot into the right corner to give Pakistan a 3-1 lead with four minutes remaining.
India forced two penalty corners in the last two minutes and Rupinderpal converted the last of their five penalty corners with a firm shot in the last minute of the match.
Aussies triumph
A golden goal by Kieran Govers gave Australia their fifth successive Champions Trophy title as the hosts prevailed 2-1 over the Netherlands in the final.
Govers sent a stinging shot into the boards from top of the circle in the fifth minute of extra-time to clinch Australia’s fifth successive Champions Trophy triumph after the teams were tied 1-1 in regulation period.
Olympic silver-medallists the Netherlands had opened the scoring in the 18th minute through a penalty corner conversion by Sander de Wijn, while Australia equalised in the 31st minute from a penalty corner strike by Russell Ford.
Australia dominated the title contest against the Dutch, who were playing their first final after six years.
Dutch custodian Jaap Stockmann, who played a brilliant game against dominant Australian strikers, was beaten by a firm shot from Govers, who had been left unmarked on top of the circle and received the ball from Eddie Ockenden.
Meanwhile, Belgium took the fifth place with a 5-4 victory through a golden goal against Olympic champions Germany, while New Zealand pushed England to the bottom spot by prevailing 3-2 in the play-off to decide the seventh position.
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