England's World Cup preparations took a blow today when England Hockey announced that the Internationals against Argentina on the 25th and 27th August at Reading will now not take place. England Hockey will be contacting ticket holders to "...discuss alternative arrangements."
Argentina also featured in the Champions Trophy in Terrassa today. Playing an Australian side who seem to have found their form, Argentina went down 6-0. Anyone who had been at the European Cup Winners Cup at Reading at Easter would be all too familiar with the penalty corner striking abilities of Luke DOERNER. Wearing his national colours this time he scored a hat trick against the Argentians, with other goals coming from Grant Schubert, Michael Boyce, and Mike McCann. Those of us who enjoy some of the stranger aspects of international hockey were deprived of seeing Schubert and Vivaldi on the pitch at the same time, as Vivaldi was not in the Argentine squad for this match. Host nation Spain were in action against Pakistan in a match where they went ahead twice only to see their lead snatched away. A field goal in the last seconds of the match by Seri Enrique finally gave them the victory. Final score 3-2. Spain now have eight points, the same as the Netherlands, who could only draw against the Germans in their match.
