Last-gasp goal lift the Dutch into Champions Trophy final

Taeke Taekema scored a last-minute penalty corner as the Netherlands squeezed past valiant India 2-1 on Friday to join Australia in the Champions Trophy field hockey final.
The Dutch, who needed a win to prevent Spain from making the final, were stunned by a dazzling display by the hosts before some 8,500 screaming fans at the Mayor Radhakrishnan stadium.
Indian goalkeeper Bharat Chetri warded off the Dutch strikers until the 51st minute when he was beaten by a Roderick Weusthof penalty corner to concede the lead.
India drew level four minutes before the final whistle when Sandeep Singh converted a penalty corner, but Taekema converted one in the dying seconds to give the Dutch a hard-fought win.
The Netherlands ended the six-nation league on 10 points, one point more than Spain, who themselves secured a tough 3-2 win over Germany earlier in the day.
Olympic champions Australia, already assured of a place in the final with four consecutive wins, take on Pakistan in the last league match later on Friday.
The title clash on Sunday will be a repeat of the Olympic final in Athens last year in which Australia rode on Jamie Dwyer's sudden-death goal to down the Netherlands.
India, stranded on three points, will clash with arch-rivals Pakistan in the play-off for 5-6 places on Sunday when the loser will be knocked out of next year's Champions Trophy in Spain.
The Indians paid the price for wasting five chances against the Dutch, who were clearly rattled by goalkeeper Chetri's brilliant performance.
"I can't believe we lost after dominating a major part of the 70 minutes," said a visibly distraught Indian coach Rajinder Singh.
"It should have been 4-1 in our favour. We did everything right but score. Chetri was too good today but he too would have felt happier if the team had won."
Dutch coach Roelant Oltmans complimented the Indians, but stressed his team deserved to be in the final for the way they played through the tournament.
"The Indians gave us a shock, but we deserve to be there," he said. "It should be a good final against Australia."Earlier, Santiago Freixa scored once in each half to give Spain a comfortable 2-0 lead, before the Germans threw the game open with a stirring fightback.
Niklas Meinert scored off Germany's first penalty corner in the 51st minute and even as Ramon Alegre made it 3-1 for Spain in the 57th, the Germans narrowed the margin a minute later through Matthias Witthaus.
Germany, without eight top stars who retired after the Athens Olympics last year, were unlucky not to equalise in the last three minutes of the game. German midfielder Carlos Nevado shot wide off an open goal in the 67th and then saw his team denied a penalty corner just before the final whistle.
"We let it slip a bit at the end, but I must credit the Germans for fighting back so well," said Spanish coach Maurits Hendriks.
German coach Bernhard Peters applauded his young team which have lost only two of their five league matches.
"We are looking at the World Cup next year and geared towards that," he said. "I am satisfied (with) the way the boys have played here."
Spain and Germany meet again on Sunday to decide the bronze medallists.
PAKISTAN DRAW:
Pakistan held Australia to a 3-3 draw in the final league encounter of the evening after both teams were locked one all at half time.
For Australia, Luke Doerner (32nd minute), Matt Naylor, (55th minute) and Matthew Wells, (58th minute) slotted the ball into the citadel.
For Pakistan, Mohammad Imran, (34th minute), Rehan Butt, (39th minute) and Mudassar Khan, (60th minute), caged the ball.
RESULTS AND FINAL LEAGUE STANDINGS:
Australia 3 (Luke Doerner 32, Matt Naylor 55, Matthew Wells 58) Pakistan 3
(Mohammad Imran 34, Rehan Butt 39, Mudassar Khan 60)
H-t: 1-1
The Netherlands 2 (Roderick Weusthof 51, Taeke Taekema 70) India 1 (Sandeep Singh 66)
H-t: 0-0
Spain 3 (Santiago Freixa 5, 47, Ramon Alegre 57) Germany 2 (Niklas Meinert 51, Matthias Witthaus 58)
H-t: 1-0
Final league standings (played, won, drawn, lost, goals for, goals against, points):

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Australia           5     4     1     0      18       9    13
The Netherlands     5     3     1     1      13       9    10
Spain               5     3     0     2      13      12     9
Germany             5     1     2     2      10      13     5
India               5     1     0     4       6      11     3
Pakistan            5     0     2     3      12      18     2
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