India draw with New Zealand

India falied to book a place in the championship round of the Junior World Cup Hockey after it held New Zealand to a goal-less draw here last evening.

India needed to topple New Zealand to qualify, but was frustrated by a New Zealand side which defended determinedly.

The result means New Zealand and India are level on four points and have the same goal difference, but the Kiwis go through to the next round, having scored four goals in the tournament to India's two.

Argentina, South Africa and Netherlands also advanced yesterday.

In a dull game, New Zealand took few risks, spending much of the game camped in their own half.

The Kiwis nearly took the lead after a sudden New Zealand counterattack, but India's Masira Surin brilliantly cleared a shot off the goal line.

Despite being the more positive side, India, as in previous games, suffered from poor finishing, wasting chance after chance from penalty corners, as New Zealand goalkeeper Gene Walker produced a series of excellent saves.

But the New Zealanders almost paid the price for their defensiveness with two minutes left when India's Adline Kerketta found herself through on goal, only to see her shot blocked by the omnipresent Walker.

Earlier, host Argentina made it three wins out of three, recording a 4-0 triumph over South Africa to win Pool C.