Eight times champions India conceded a penultimate minute equaliser to Poland through a defensive error and drew 1-1 to crash out of medal contention in the Olympic Games hockey tournament in Sydney on Tuesday. Full-back Dilip Tirkey put India ahead in the 53rd minute of the concluding Group B match after both teams went goalless at half-time.
Poland's equaliser in the dying moments came off the stick of Tomasz Cichy which dashed India's hopes of winning their first medal in the game in 20 years. India, with eight points after Tuesday's match, failed to make it to the semi-finals as South Korea, also on eight points, moved ahead as the second best team from the pool by virtue of having a better goal difference.
Australia, who beat South Korea 2-1 earlier on Tuesday, topped the pool with 11 points and will take on defending champions the Netherlands in the semi-finals. The Koreans will fight it out with a resurgent Pakistan, who topped group a after defeating Holland 2-0 earlier in the day, in the other semi-final.
Bureau Report