The Netherlands look all set for the semifinals as they brutally send Canada packing.

By Prateek Srivastava
 
The Netherlands notched up their third victory on the bounce to very much secure a semifinal place. They blanked unfancied Canada 6-0 in a Pool A match of the hockey World Cup in New Delhi on Friday.
 
After a goalless first half, the redeeming Dutch hit the back of the net six times in the second half. Taeke Taekema and Rogier Hofman were on target twice each while Ronald Brouwer and Rob Reckers both slotted once to show Canada the door.
 
However, it was surprising that the Netherlands, the fourth best team in the world, could not open their account in the first half. They earned three penalty corners but despite having in their ranks the dangerous Taekema they could not make the most of them. Reckers’ goal in the 22nd minute was overruled after video replays showed that Hofman had previously hit the ball too high. Canada could not exploit the slackness of the Dutchmen and paid dear for it after the break.

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If the first half was a drought, the second one indeed was a flood. The Dutchmen amply showed why they are one of the most-dreaded opponents. It was the earlier out-of-sorts Taekema who took it upon himself to show the way to his teammates as he fired a low shot into the left corner in the 41st minute. The floodgates were opened!

Brouwer doubled the lead before Hofman made up for his mistake in first half by scoring goals in the 48th and 56th minutes respectively. Reckers too shook off his first half disappointment as he scored seven minutes after Hofman’s opener. Taekema converted another penalty corner seven minutes from time to complete the rout.
 
The Oranje now play world champions Germany on Sunday while Canada face Korea, who were stunned 3-1 by New Zealand earlier in the day.

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