NEW DELHI: The Soviet Union moved closer to the title while Belgium and South Korea recorded thumping wins in the 5th Indira Gandhi memorial gold cup international hockey tournament here on Jan 9th. §Defending champions India gave an imaginative display to surrender to the Soviet Union 0-2 (ht 0-2) in a vital match billed as the final of the seven-nation round-robin tournament.
With the win the Soviets took their points tally to nine from five matches they play their last match against Holland who have only two points from four matches.
India have only five points from four matches. They are yet to play Holland and Poland.
In the other matches Belgium notched up their most impressive triumph hammering Poland 8-0 (Half time 5-0) while last year’s runners-up south Korea battered Kenya 8-1 (half time 1-1). Korean Captain Park Sin Heum scored four goals including the first hat-trick of the tournament.
With this big win now (earlier they had beaten Poland 5-1) Korea have seven points from five matches and are well ahead of India on goal average.
Belgium has gathered four points from as many outings. For the Soviet Union today’s wins was sweet revenge for their 1-1 draw against India in the last world cup at Lahore. Soviet captain Viadimir put his team ahead in the fifth minute converting a stroke while Vitali Kholopov sealed the fate of the match with a 20th minute strike.
Article extracted from this publication >> January 25, 1991
