CWG 2014 hockey: Ciriello hat-trick gives Australia 4-0 win, India settle for silver

Sardar Singh of India battles with Fergus Kavanagh of Australia

India’s hopes of winning its maiden Commonwealth Games hockey gold went up in smoke as a well-oiled Australian outfit thumped them 4-0 in a one-sided final match at the Glasgow National Hockey Center.

Indians lacked the energy to challenge the Kookaburras

The Sardar Singh-led side, which turned in a superb effort to reach the final, had to settle for the silver as his side struggled to match the world champions. To be fair to the Indians, they looked a tad flat, perhaps not recovering adequately from their energy-sapping semifinal against New Zealand; back-to-back matches are never easy and can take a toll on the players.

There was no lack of intent from India, but physically they did not seem to be quite there the way the Kookaburras were. The biggest solace for the 9th ranked side will be that they made the CWG final ahead of 5th England and 6th ranked New Zealand.

Australia go on the attack right from the start

Australia asked quite a few occasions of the Indian defence in the early stages and their persistence paid off when drag-flick expert Chris Ciriello – one of the heroes of their World Cup triumph, who struck a hat-trick in the final against the Netherlands – fired home a low flick beating PR Sreejesh all ends up.

This was after India muffed their best opportunity to score when Nikkin Thiamiah floundered in the Australian ‘D’ after Ramandeep Singh drilled in a crafty backhanded pass. The Kookaburras then forced another short corner in the 20th minute, but Rupinder Pal Singh blunted it down as the first runner.

India bungled a chance to equalize when Vokkaliga Raghunath’s drag-flick off their first penalty corner was stopped by Kieren Govers on the line.

India made to pay for failing to capitalize on opportunities

India paid the price for not making the most of their scant opportunities when Chris Ciriello converted Australia’s third penalty corner close to half-time, unleashing a low shot that grazed Sreejesh’s stick en route to the Indian goal.

Sardar’s boys then tried to up the tempo, but a crowded Aussie defence neutralized their raids as the Terry Walsh-coached side trailed 0-2 at half-time.

Ciriello pile on the agony for India, completing a hat-trick by converting the team’s fourth short corner in the 49th minute. The match was literally sealed in Australia’s favour when Eddie Ockenden tapped home a Kierens Govers pass in the 51st minute.

The winds went out of the Indian sails after that as they seemed resigned to their fate as the Aussies won their fifth successive CWG gold medal.