Hockeyroos into Quarter Finals at World League
The Hockeyroos have set themselves up for a quarter final clash with Germany at the 2013 World League Finals in Argentina after topping pool B with a thumping 5-1 win over New Zealand.
The result was particularly pleasing for the Hockeyroos given it was their trans-Tasman rivals that inflicted defeat on them and derailed their 2012 London Olympic campaign. The Kiwis have been something of a bogey team for the Australian women, with even last month’s Oceania Championship success coming in a penalty shootout after New Zealand had squandered a one goal lead in the sudden death stroke format.
But after a highly credible 1-1 draw with hosts and world number one Argentina first up and a dominant 5-1 win over China, the Hockeyroos proved too strong for the New Zealanders with a rampant second half (3-0) extending their narrow one goal half time lead to ensure the Australians would top their pool and set up a quarter final clash with Germany – against whom the Hockeyroos enjoy a good recent head to head record.
Despite scoring five goals for a second successive match, Hockeyroos’ coach Adam Commens reflected on his side’s excellent work in defence as the difference between the two sides.
“It was a good performance and one of our better performances on the pitch in a while,” he said. “We were unlucky not to be further ahead at half time but in the second half we were more clinical in their circle. I thought we executed our defensive duties well; New Zealand is one of the better counter-attacking sides in world hockey and we prevented them from exhibiting that threat too often.
South Australian Georgie Parker gave the Hockeyroos the lead in the 11th minute after an opening period in which Australia might already have scored had Kiwi goalkeeper Sally Rutherford not pulled off a double save in the second minute, or been equal to a bobbling penalty corner in the sixth.
Finding the ball deflected to her in open space after good work by Emily Smith inside the left baseline, Parker’s simple conversion from one metre out gave the Hockeyroos a 1-0 lead.
The advantage lasted just two minutes however as Petrea Webster responded almost immediately with critical touch at New Zealand’s first penalty corner to level the score. But Western Australian Institute of Sport athlete Ashleigh Nelson restored the Hockeyroos’ lead in the 22nd minute as she reacted quickly to a chest-high deflection from Eddie Bone’s cross to divert the ball down and into the goal.
Kellie White’s thunderous low strike shortly after half time put the Hockeyroos 3-1 up. After taking a moment to control a pass, White turned and fired into the goal. And Queenslander Jodie Schulz made it 4-1 with a pinpoint flick into the corner from a 54th minute penalty corner.
The Hockeyroos threatened more from a brace of penalty corners but New Zealand stood firm until White danced past two Black Sticks defenders before unleashing a superb tomahawk strike that left the goalkeeper with no chance. It was White’s 20th goal for the Hockeyroos.
– with Hockey Australia
