Hockeyroos Advance at Hawke’s Bay Cup
WAIS athlete Kathryn Slattery scored a fourth minute winner in the Hockeyroos’ 1-0 quarter-final victory over Argentina at the Hawke’s Bay Cup in New Zealand.
The match between the world number two Hockeyroos and number three Las Leonas was a tight affair in which the Australians enjoyed much the better of the attacking opportunities in the first half before being called upon to defend resolutely as Argentina sought a way back into the contest in the latter stages.
The result sees the Australian women through to Saturday’s semi-final against China, who had earlier beaten Japan on a shoot-out.
With the tournament format guaranteeing the Hockeyroos a quarter-final berth irrespective of their early form, Head Coach Adam Commens admitted, “We knew that regardless [of early results] we’d be in the quarter-finals. I was looking forward to meeting Argentina in this tournament. We thought it might be later on in the tournament but we met them just the same and we got the victory.”
On his side’s form in front of goal, Commens said, “I think it’s coming. We’ve hit the crossbar a couple of times, we’ve hit the post a few times, we’ve had a number of balls dragged off the goal line and we’ve had a few sail past the back post. It’s normally somewhere we feel that easily. We haven’t done that so far but we’re working on it and I feel that in the coming games we’ll be able to find the net a little bit easier than we have.”
Looking ahead to the semi-final against China, Commens added, “It’s going to be interesting. It’s the fifth time we’ve met them in the last two weeks. They’re a team that’s improved, they’ve done well. They’ve got some really good young players with good technical skill, [so] we’ll need to be on our game if we’re going to get the victory there but I think we’re more than capable of doing it. We’ll be going for that grand final berth.”
Slattery’s goal after just four minutes, slotted through the legs of Argentina goalkeeper Belen Succi, was the perfect start for the Hockeyroos and ultimately proved to be the winner.
While Argentina threatened an immediate repost through Carla Rebecchi’s surging run, Australia defended well and saw out the first quarter in relative control. Captain Madonna Blyth came closest to extending the advantage with a close range deflection that flew narrowly wide.
In a second quarter performance filled with attacking intent, the Hockeyroos stifled Las Leonas while creating a series of excellent opportunities of their own. Georgia Nanscawen’s effort early in the period came back off the crossbar, Brooke Peris forced Succi into a close range save and Georgie Parker’s effort flew past the post.
Australia found themselves under renewed pressure following half time, successfully keeping out two Argentine penalty corners. And the pressure intensified in the final 15 minutes as the Hockeyroos were penned in deep in their defensive quarter. Three more penalty corners came and went for the South Americans, who could not find a way through goalkeeper Ashlee Wells and her back line.
Captain Madonna Blyth is set to make her 300th appearance for the Hockeyroos in Saturday’s semi-final against China. In doing so she will become only the second woman to represent Australia in 300 matches and closes in further on Nikki Hudson’s all-time record of 303 appearances for the Hockeyroos.
WAIS athlete Ashleigh Nelson also represented Australian in their quarter final win over Argentina.
The match will take place at 14:30 AEST on Saturday, 18 April, and will be lived streamed through the official tournament website.
In other hockey news:
Western Australia has won medals at the Australian U18 National Championships with the men’s team winning gold, and the women’s team picking up bronze.
The Western Australian men’s side, coached by WAIS men’s coach Chris O’Reilly fought off a spirited Tasmanian outfit in the final, to secure the title with a come from behind 3-2 win.
The women’s state team, defeated NSW 2-0 in their bronze medal match.
– with HockeyAus
