Dutch on top of world

Holland clinched their third World Cup title yesterday with a golden goal for a 3-2 victory over Spain in Utrecht

Holland clinched their third World Cup title yesterday with a golden goal for a 3-2 victory over Spain in Utrecht. Teun de Noojier's strike two minutes from time in the extra period propelled the home side to the comeback win.

The Spanish, having soaked up everything that the Dutch could throw at them in the first 18 minutes, drew first blood with their first attack.

The only Dutch penalty corner of the half broke down to trigger a Spanish break, and Xavier Arnau finished off a three-man dash with a stinging shot for a 1-0 lead.

The Dutch returned to the attack in the second half with two fine saves from Spanish goalkeeper Ramon Jufresa preventing near certain goals from Jeroen Delmee and Jaap Derk Buma.

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The game looked to be beyond the Dutch when Victor Pujol put the Spanish further ahead off a penalty corner in the 45th minute.

But the hosts battled back with two goals inside a minute, a solo effort from Dutch captain Stephan Veen and then a shot from corner specialist Bram Lomans for the 2-2 draw after normal time.

The winning goal followed the second Dutch penalty corner of extra time, Jufresa saving the initial shot with de Nooijer following up to score.

Germany captured the bronze today thanks to a 26th minute penalty corner goal from Bjorn Michel for a 1-0 win against Australia.

And England conceded three goals in five first-half minutes as they ended their World Cup programme in sixth position. Mahammad Usman notched Pakistan's first after just nine minutes and collected his second just two minutes later. England goalkeeper David Luckes could then only palm away a shot from Muhammad Shahbaz and Atif Bashir made no mistake with the rebound. Bashir also grabbed a second two minutes from half time.

Two second-half penalty corner goals from Russell Garcia and Calum Giles kept England in the game but the Pakistanis never looked likely to surrender their lead.