New Zealand scored their second victory in the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup when they beat Canada 3-0 in Ipoh on Thursday. The win comes after a streak of three losses to Pakistan, Malaysia and Argentina, meaning that the win does not do anything to help the Black Sticks’ cause for a berth in Sunday’s final.

Kosoof Dave, Dean Couzins, and Nick Wilsons were the scorers for New Zealand.

The win takes New Zealand to fifth place. They are on the same number of points as Belgium, but the latter have a better goal difference.

The Black Sticks face Belgium in their last group game, and a win could see them in the third/fourth place playoffs on Sunday.

New Zealand 3-0 Canada ( Kosoof Dave, Dean Couzins, Nick Wilsons)

India gave their hopes of qualifying the final a huge boost when they beat Pakistan 2-1 in their fifth group game in the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup in Ipoh. Despite their shock 3-5 loss to Belgium the previous day, it was Pakistan who started as favourites in the game. A win would see them book their ticket against Argentina in the final on Sunday. A loss would leave them depending on other results. And , with this result, Pakistan will be biting their nails and hoping that the other results go their way- especially the Malaysia India game.

India attacked from the beginning, and ace drag flicker Sandeep Singh converted his very first attempt of the game to give the Indians a 1-0 lead. Although the second penalty corner was easily stopped by Pakistan keeper Rashid, India did not waste their third corner. Diwakar Ram’s shot hit Rashid’s shoulder, and was deflected, much to the dismay of the Pakistanis, into the net. 2-0 to India in the twentieth minute.

Pakistan struggled to find their touch in the first half, and were unable to make any of their four penalty corners count. Towards the end of the first half, Mohammad Saqlain set up Waqas Akhbar nicely, but the latter could not lend the finishing touches to the move.

Indian keeper Adrian D’ Souza was kept busy by the Pakistan forwards in the second half, and to his credit, the youngster did not falter.

Mohammad Saqlain scored the only goal of the game for Pakistan when he converted a penalty stroke in the 58th minute.

Pakistan now have ten points from six games. India have nine from five, and will meet Argentina in the final if they beat Malaysia on Saturday in their final group game.

India 2-1 Pakistan ( Sandeep Singh, Diwakar Ram/ Mohammad Saqlain)

Fresh from their 5-3 upset win over Pakistan, Beijing bound Belgium once again played some brilliant hockey to beat hosts Malaysia 4-2 in the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup today. It was Malaysia’s third defeat in the tournament, and the hosts have just four points from five games. They will finish their group engagements when they play India in their final game on Saturday.

Charles Vandeweghe gave Belgium the lead in the 20th minute, but Malaysia equalised in the 29th minute through penalty corner specialist Mohd Amin Rahim.

It was Vandeweghe again who put Belgium ahead, with the forward scoring from a set piece in the 43rd minute. And like it happened with the first goal, Malaysia responded through another Amin Rahim drag flick to level the game.

However Belgium raised their game when it mattered the most, and both the remaining goals were scored by ” Jerome “- Jerome Dekeyser in the 52nd minute, and Jerome Truyens in the 68th minute.

Malaysia’s game against India will have one team watching it very keenly, and hoping for a favour from the home team. Pakistan’s hopes of making it to the final rest on the Malaysia- India game after they lost their final game 1-2 to the Indians.

Malaysia 2-4 Belgium ( Mohd Amin Rahim *2/ Charles Vandeweghe*2, Jerome Dekeyser, Jerome Truyens)

Some poor finishing and dreadful defending saw hosts Malaysia draw a game they should have won at the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup in Ipoh. This was Malaysia’s first draw in the tournament, and they now have four points to show for their efforts in the tournament.

Chua Boon Huat had a great chance to put Malaysia ahead in the 20th minute when he had only Canadian keeper Michael Masood between him and the goal, but he muffed it up. He however atoned for it a minute later, when his stick deflected Tengku Tajuddin’s pass into the goal.

Canada’s equaliser came due to a mistake from the Malaysian goalkeeper. S. Kumar’s failure to clear the ball saw Sukhwinder Singh take advantage of the situation to put Canada back on level terms.

Mohd Amin Rahim, who has been rather disappointing in this tournament, struck in the 31st minute from a penalty corner to make it 2-1 to Malaysia.

Scott Tupper scored the final goal of the game two minutes after the hour mark from a penalty corner to level the match.

Malaysia next play Belgium, who shocked Pakistan 5-3 to get their first win in the tournament.

Malaysia 2-2 Canada ( Chua Boon Huat, Mohd Amin Rahim/ Sukhwinder Singh, Scott Tupper)

Now here is one result we did not expect- Pakistan, second in the table on goal difference losing to bottom of the table Belgium !! The result means that Pakistan will have to win or draw their next game against India to be sure of meeting Argentina in the final. Should they lose to their arch rivals, and should India put it past Malaysia in their last group game, Pakistan will have to settle for playing the third/fourth place playoffs.

For the beleaguered Belgians, it was a welcome three points in a tournament that has, so far, given them nothing but disappointment.

Thomas Briels gave Belgium the lead in the second minute, but it disappeared as soon it arrived when Shakeel Abbasi equalised for Pakistan. John John Dohmen restored Belgium’s lead, but Rehan Butt cancelled it out in the 23rd minute.

Charles Vandeweghe made it 3-2 to Belgium a minute later, but Mohammad Ateeq scored just before half time to leave the score at 3-3.

Jerome Dekeyser pumped in goal no.4 for Belgium just after half time, and Loic Vandeweghe’s 59th minute strike ensured that Belgium would walk out of the game with all three points.

Pakistan 3-5 Belgium ( Shakeel Abbasi, Rehan Butt, Mohammad Ateeq/ Thomas Briels, John John Dohmen, Charles Vandeweghe, Jerome Dekeyser, Loic Vandeweghe)

One of the two finalists for the 17th Sultan Azlan Shah Cup have been determined- Argentina. The South Americans continued their impressive run in Ipoh as they beat New Zealand 2-1 to secure their fourth win in the tournament. This is the first time in three Azlan Shah tournaments that they have made it to the final. In their debut tournament in 2006, they finished seventh ( eight teams participated). Last year, they finished fifth by beating Pakistan in the playoff for fifth/sixth positions.

It was sweet revenge for Argentina, whose hopes of qualifying for the Beijing Olympics were dashed by the Kiwis in Auckland in February. They had beaten the Kiwis 3-2 in the preliminary round, but lost 2-3 in the final.

All three goals came in the first half. Martin Lopez opened the scoring for Argentina in the ninth minute. Juan Ignacio Gilardi doubled Argentina’s lead in the seventeenth minute. Benjamin Collier pulled one back for New Zealand in the 27th minute.

Argentina are certainly capable of lifting the trophy come Sunday, if their recent form is anything to go by. Given that they will face stiffer competition in the Champions Trophy in the Netherlands next month, winning here will give the side a huge morale boost.

Argentina 2-1 New Zealand ( Martin Lopez, Juan Ignacio Gilardi/ Benjamin Collier)

Pakistan won their third game at the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup in Ipoh when they beat Canada 2-1. Canada, who had lost their previous game 1-3 to India, suprisingly took the lead through Bindi Kullar. Both of Pakistan’s goals came late in the second half, but the fact they took three points is all what matters for the three time champions. Rehan Butt, who scored four against New Zealand, equalised, with Mohammad Saqlain scoring the winner three minutes from time.

Pakistan are currently second in the table. They have a goal difference of five, to Argentina’s ten. Pakistan drew 3-3 with Argentina yesterday, and will now play bottom placed Belgium in their next game on May 14, with tomorrow being a rest day for all teams.

Hosts Malaysia’s chances of finishing in the top of the table at the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup were dealt a huge blow when they were thrashed 5-0 by Argentina on Day 5. Malaysia now have two losses and a win from three games, while Argentina remain unbeaten after four games. This is the second time in this tournament that Argentina have pumped in five or more- they had beaten India 5-1 in their second game of the tournament.

Facudo Callioni gave Argentina the lead in the nineteenth minute, when he stood at the far post and connected with a free hit. It was again Callioni who doubled Argentina’s lead, with a penalty corner deflection. Malaysia had one good chance late in the first half, but Ismail Abu could not give them the goal they needed. Amin Rahim failed to convert both his penalty corners in the first half.

Things went from bad to worse for the hosts as Jiwa Mohan had to walk off for a crude 41st minute tackle. Madzli Ikmar conceded a penalty stroke which Ignacio Juan Gilardi duly converted to make it 3-0.

Lucas Hernan and Tomas Argento Innocente added to Malaysia’s woes, scoring in the forty fifth and sixty eight minutes for Argentina to complete a 5-0 mauling of the hosts.

Argentina 5-0 Malaysia ( Facudo Callioni *2, Ignacio Juan Gilardi, Lucas Hernan, Tomas Argento Innocente)

India recorded their second successive win at the 17th Sultan Azlan Shah Cup when they beat Belgium 6-4 in Ipoh. The game, which produced 10 goals, now holds the record for the highest scoring game in this tournament ( not overall), eclipsing Pakistan’s 6-3 win over New Zealand.

India, who had been found wanting in their penalty corner department in the last few games, made no such mistake this time as they converted all the four that were awarded to them in the first half. Sandeep Singh took India’s first penalty corner, and the rebound was sent in by Shivendra Singh. Ninth minute India 1-0 Belgium. Diwakar Ram, who had scored a brace against Canada, found the back of the net in the 22nd minute to double India’s lead. Alexandre de Sadeleer pulled one back for Belgium, but the Europeans had little else to cheer for in the first half, with India pumping in three more goals before the break. Sandeep Singh scored in the 29th and 35th minute, to add to his already impressive four goal tally, while S.V. Sunil scored in the 32nd minute.

At 5-1, one could not have been blamed for thinking that the game was all but over for the Belgians. Yet, they produced an inspiring second half performance, causing India to nearly drop two points. The Indian coach A.K. Bansal would have been livid with the way his boys played. Thomas Briels and Jerome Truyens pulled two more back , and Charles Vandewenghe made it 5-4 in the 61st minute. With time running out, the Belgians pushed for a fifth goal, but were unable to get it. India finally heaved a sigh of relief when Shivendra Singh scored his second two minutes before time to make the score 6-4.  A game that should have been won comfortably was very nearly messed up.

India 6-4 Belgium ( Shivendra Singh *2, Sandeep Singh *2, Diwakar Ram, S.V. Sunil/ Alexandre de Sadeleer, Thomas Briels *2, Charles Vandewenghe)

As for Belgium, it is their third consecutive loss, having been beaten by Argentina and Canada earlier. They are currently languishing at the bottom of the table with no points.

In a battle between two teams who had picked up full points from both their previous encounters, Argentina drew 3-3 with three time champions Pakistan in a keenly fought Sultan Azlan Shah Cup game.

Pakistan, who had beaten Malaysia and New Zealand prior to this game, took the lead in the tenth minute through Mohammad Zubair. Pedro Ibarra equalised for Argentina from a penalty corner five minutes before half time, but Pakistan regained their one goal advantage when Mohammad Saqlain scored from a set piece in the forty forth minute.

The Argentines had better possession of the ball in the second half, and  Ignacio Juan Gilardi made it 2-2 after the referee had given Argentina a penalty stroke. Ricardo Ignacio then stunned the Pakistan fans in the stadium when he made it 3-2 in the fifty sixth minute, but Waqas Akhbar brought the game back on level terms in the sixty third minute.

Argentina and Pakistan both have seven points from three games, but as a result of the South Americans thrashing India 5-1, they lead the table on goal difference.

Pakistan 3-3 Argentina ( Mohammad Zubair, Mohammad Saqlain, Waqas/ Pedro Ibarra, Ignacio Juan Gilardi, Ricardo Ignacio)