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Two-time champions Netherlands clinched the bronze medal at the ongoing FIH Men's Hockey World Cup after defeating three-time champions Australia 3-1 in the third-place match at Bhubaneswar on Sunday.
With this, the Netherlands has finished their World Cup campaign in third position while Australia has finished in fourth position. In the first quarter both teams attempted to score a goal but failed to do so. The Aussies earned a penalty corner in the 12th minute. Jeremy Hayward, playing his 200th match for Australia came through with a remarkable flick that gave his side an early lead. This was his 100th goal in Australian colours. Aussies earned another PC in the next minute as the Dutch tackled an Australian inside the circle. Blake Govers was given an offer by Hayward to deflect, but Netherlands goalie Pirmin Blaak saved it. At the end of the first quarter, the scoreline read 1-0 in favour of Australia. In the second quarter, Netherland was down one player for two minutes as Jorrit Croon was given a green card after pushing Flynn Ogilvie in the 16th minute of the match. Netherlands earned a penalty corner in the 21st minute, but the two-time champions could not make much of it. Australia's Tim Brand was given a two-minute suspension after a green card in the 21st minute. At the end of the second quarter and the first half, Australia led the match 1-0. In the third quarter, Netherlands earned a penalty corner in the 31st minute, but Jip Janssen failed to convert it. The Dutch got another penalty the very next minute as the ball touched Tim Howard's boot. Jip scored an equaliser for Netherlands, the ball went past a defender and the goalkeeper. Thierry Brinkman brought the Netherlands into the lead with two goals in the 34th minute and 39th minutes of the match. At the end of the third quarter, the Netherlands led the game 3-1. In the 51st minute, Thijs Van Dam was shown a yellow card and was who was out of the field for five minutes as he crashed into an Australian defender while playing. Netherlands earned a penalty corner in the 53rd minute and 59th minute, but could not score. But nonetheless, the Dutch ended the match on a happy note with a bronze medal. (ANI)
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