Kookaburra's Winning Streak continues
15th August 2008
No records were broken but the Kookaburras still found themselves in new territory at the Beijing Games - trailing their opposition.
Despite conceding a shock early goal for the first time at Beijing, the defending Olympic champions comfortably held out world No.6 Pakistan 3-1.
The Kookaburras arrived at the Olympic Green Hockey Stadium brimming with confidence after racking up 16 goals in their first two games, including a record-equalling 10-0 victory over lowly South Africa.
But they knew they were not going to have it all their own way against three-time Olympic champions Pakistan.
However, Australia still seemed taken aback by the Pakistani onslaught which resulted in an early goal.
Pakistan ensured Australia trailed for the first time of the competition after Shakeel Abbasi's wonderful reverse stick shot from a tight angle that found the back of the box in the 16th minute.
But scores were locked up at 1-1 by halftime after Grant Schubert's 20th minute strike.
And normal service resumed when Jamie Dwyer - considered to world's best player - pounced on a deflected Bevan George shot in the circle to make it 2-1 to Australia in the 41st minute.
Eddie Ockenden - considered Dwyer's understudy - again stood up, setting up Travis Brooks' 59th minute goal.
The game became a fiesty affair in the second half as Pakistan grew frustrated, resulting in a yellow card to controversial midfielder Muhammed Saqlain in the dying minutes.
The Kookaburras have just two more preliminary matches left before the August 21 semi-finals.
The Australian men are defending champions after ending 48 years of frustration with an historic gold medal at Athens.
Pakistan won the last of their three Games titles way back in 1984.
(Article supplied by Yahoo.com.au)
Article by Hockey South
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