Antwerp :The Kookaburras maintained their spot on top of Pool A at the Hockey World League with a 6-1 win over Pakistan in Antwerp. Jake Whetton opened the scoring for Australia with a goal in the ninth minute, but Pakistan levelled the scores four minutes later with a deflection by Muhammed Irfan from a penalty corner.
The score remained 1-1 until shortly after half-time, when Daniel Beale scored from a penalty corner to put the Kookaburras back in front.
Matthew Swann added a third goal 10 minutes later from open play, and when Jamie Dwyer scored Australia’s fourth in the 49th minute, the game was over as a contest.
Blake Govers added two more goals from penalty corners in the 54th and 58th minutes to complete a comprehensive win for the Australians.
“First five or 10 minutes it was really good. Our tone and energy was good, we were doing the right things, all the things we talked about,” Kookaburras coach Graham Reid said after the game.
“Then we got one up and we took our foot off the pedal and against a team like this you can’t do that.
“At half time we fixed a couple of things. We got our press working a little better. And again tone and energy – that came out.
“It was much better second half and we were able to put the ball in the net. Our corners worked well; a couple of variations that I thought worked well.”
Australia will next play Poland on Saturday.
