New Delhi: An impressive England spanked New Zealand 5-1 to finish on top of Pool A, while Australia thrashed Argentina 6-1 to emerge as the leaders in Pool B at the Hockey World League Final on Monday.
Irrespective of the result, it was Zealand who had the first promising scoring opportunity in the match when Phil Burrows won the ball in the circle and his shot missed the net by centimetres. Both teams played expansive and open hockey but solid defending resulted in few shots on goal in the opening 25 minutes at the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium.
Both the teams worked hard but failed to break the deadlock till the 30th minute when England surged ahead through Ashley Jackson who converted his side's second penalty corner.
World No.4 England doubled their lead in the 44th minute from yet another penalty corner conversion from Jackson.
England extended their lead six minutes later when Mark Gleghorne scored from another penalty corner. The Black Sticks managed to pull one back in the 57th minute through a penalty corner conversion by Hugo Inglis. But Tom Carson (67th) and Barry Middleton (70th) sealed the victory in favour of England by scoring two field goals in the later stages of the match.
Meanwhile in a Pool B clash, world champions Australia took the initiative in the first half by scoring four goals as against Argentina's one.
The Kookaburras set out their stall early on as Dean Beale (3rd minute) stole possession and slotted home a reverse stick goal.
After Beale's opener, Mark Knowles (11th) scored from a penalty spot after a foul in the circle. Kieran Govers (14th) extended Australia's tally with a well taken shot from wide of the goal.
Argentina, however, reduced the margin in the 32nd minute through a field effort from Facundo Callioni.
Australia pumped in their fourth goal in the final minute of the first half through Govers with a penalty corner strike.
In the second-half, Australia extended their lead through two goals from open play.
First Russell Ford (44th) followed up on a shot that had been saved by Juan Manuel Vivaldi in the Argentine goal, and then Kiel Brown (48th) made it 6-1 for the Kookaburras.
England will play the bottom-placed team of Pool B in the quarter-finals which in this case is Belgium, while Australia will be up against the laggards of Pool A which will be either India or New Zealand, depending on the result of the final Pool A match between India and Germany.
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