Shoot-out to be tried in Azlan hockey

The summit clash and play-offs on the last day of the ongoing Azlan Shah Cup hockey tournament will be decided by shoot-outs instead of the usual penalty-stroke tie-breakers, tournament director Dallas Riseley said.

Riseley intimated the participating teams in the seven-nation tournament that the trial rule will be used on May 15 in the play-offs, if necessary, to determine the tournament's final standings.

The shoot-out, which requires five players from each team to take on the goalkeeper one-on-one in case of deadlocked matches after extra-time, is under trail by the FIH ahead of 2012 London Olympics, where it may be seen in action if converted into a rule later this year.

In the shoot-out, the striker starts the one-on-one attack against the goalkeeper from 23 yards. The striker has eight seconds to enter the striking circle and score. He is allowed to flick, push, drive or dribble past the custodian, who can come off the goalline to try and deny him a goal.

Like the penalty-strokes tie-breaker, if the deadlock persists after the five mandatory attempts by each team, the shoot-out will go into sudden-death.

The FIH introduced the trial regulation last year in the Champions Trophy and Champions Challenge.

If the sport's governing body converts the trial as a rule, it will be applied in the Champions Trophy in New Delhi, the Olympic qualifiers and then the London Olympics.