AFP/London


WELL DONE: Pakistan’s Rehan Butt is congratulated by teammates after scoring a goal during the preliminary round men’s field hockey match of the London 2012 Olympic Games. (AFP

Captain Jamie Dwyer scored a hat-trick as world champions Australia launched their Olympic Games men’s hockey campaign with a thumping 6-0 victory over South Africa yesterday.
Dwyer’s three strikes helped him equal the Australian record of 179 international goals held by Mark Hager, who is coach of the New Zealand team at these Olympics.
Dwyer was instrumental in earning both penalty strokes that he went on to convert and also scored on a penalty corner as Australia outplayed South Africa.
Australia fired four goals in the second session to outpace South Africa, while Asian Games winners South Korea earlier held off a late New Zealand charge to post a 2-0 win.
Meanwhile, India, who failed to qualify for the 2008 Games, endured a miserable return to the
Olympics when they lost 3-2 to the Netherlands while rivals Pakistan were held 1-1 by Spain.
Dwyer opened the scoring in the 16th minute for Australia with a penalty stroke after he was brought down by a defender inside the circle.
Dwyer then set up the second Australian goal two minutes before half-time with a pass that Matthew Butturini deflected in.
Christopher Ciriello converted a penalty corner in the 46th minute before Dwyer fired in a penalty corner in the 48th and then forced another penalty stroke that he converted in the 58th.
Glenn Turner rounded off the Australian scoring with a field goal in the 62nd minute. You Hyo-Sik scored two field goals for South Korea against New Zealand.
“I’m excited about scoring twice as I’ve been waiting for a goal on the international stage for a long time,” said You, who deflected diagonal crosses past New Zealand goalkeeper Kyle Pontifex.
New Zealander Simon Child wasted an early scoring opportunity by shooting wide before You put South Korea ahead in the 19th minute by capitalising on a diagonal ball from Kang Moon-Kyu.
You again found the target one minute before half-time on a pass from Jang Jong-Hyun.
It was not a very profitable day for the once formidable Asian giants, India and Pakistan. Robert van der Horst and Rod Weusthof put the Dutch 2-0 ahead against India but Dharamvir clawed one back for India from a post rebound and Shivendra three minutes later.
But the Dutch, despite no longer including Taeke Taekama, converted two out of two penalty corners with Mink van der Weerden flicking a snorter for the decisive goal.
Pakistan led Spain with a fine 47th-minute shot by Rehan Butt but Pau Quaemada took just 40 seconds to level the scores.
Spain had more control over the game but it was their goalkeeper Francisco Cortes who made crucial first half saves.