BY TERRY MADDAFORD
In New Delhi
New Zealand’s hopes of playing in their first World Cup semifinal live on but it is a big ask after they were upset 1-0 by lower-ranked Argentina in nerve-jangling fourth round action last night.
To reach the top four, Shane McLeod’s Black Sticks must beat unbeaten defending champions and world No 1 Germany in their final pool match and then hope the Netherlands, already assured of topping group A, do not lose to Korea.
Against the no-frills Argentines, the Black Sticks’ lack of strike power in front of goal was again cruelly exposed. None of the handful of reasonable half chances they created ever seriously threatened the Argentina goal.
“We are definitely lacking firepower up front,” said McLeod in reflecting on his team’s second loss in four outings at the Hero Honda World Cup. “There was a lot of turnover ball and, in the end, we did not play enough hockey.”
It is not just the unfortunate injury which has robbed the team of influential captain and attacking lynchpin Phil Burrows -- he is now doubtful to play again here -- and Simon Childs’ decision to stay away which is hitting the team hard, they could also do with the impetus Brad and Hayden Shaw would bring.
Too often the Black Sticks were punished in turning the ball over or, worse, for mis-trapping on the sometimes uncertain surface.
“It wasn’t a case of nerves. Argentina are always tough and on most occasions there is only a goal either way in it,” said McLeod. “Even when we are full strength they are a hard side for us to handle.
“It is back to the drawing board. The Germans play a pretty structured game which suits us but to take on the number one team in the world with key players out will be a big ask.”
Argentina had an early penalty corner but were denied by Black Sticks goalkeeper Kyle Pontifex who thrust out a pad to clear. He was called on to make a similar save minutes later.
New Zealand’s first real chance came on the half hour when Ryan Archibald played a great ball to Blair Hilton but he failed to covert.
Priyesh Bhana won New Zealand’s first penalty corner in the 33rd minute. Andy Hayward drag-flicked goalwards but his attempt was blocked by an errant Argentine foot. Archibald stepped forward to take the resultant stroke but was denied by goalkeeper Juan Thomas Espinosa.
From the restart Hilton charged deep but after doing the hard work, could not set himself for a meaningful shot.
The second half was more of the same with some tantalising half chances but no reward.
Argentina scored the only goal of the match in the 55th minute when Pedro Ibarra charged deep on the right before whipping in a super cross to Facundo Callioni at the far post from where he deflected high into Pontifex’ goal giving him no chance.
There were late opportunities, the best falling to Hugo Inglis, but again the Black Sticks could not convert and were left contemplating what might have been.
In the late game, with the New Zealand players rooting for the Dutch, their hearts were in and out of their mouths.
The Netherlands duly obliged when a 28th minute shot from Wouter Jolie was deflected into his goal by German goalkeeper Tim Jessulat.
The Germans then stormed back and goals 20 minutes apart from Oliver Korn and Jan-Marco Montag had them 2-1 ahead after 63 minutes.
Again, the Dutch came to New Zealand’s rescue with the world’s most experienced player, Dutch captain Teun de Nooijer snatching the equaliser four minutes from time to continue his record of scoring in all his five World Cups since 1994.
But even then the anxiety was not over for the Black Sticks watching back in their hotel when the Germans won a penalty corner which was taken, and missed, after the fulltime hooter had sounded.
Last night’s first two games were in stark contrast.
Korea and Canada scored 11 as Korea won 9-2 in the opening game -- second only to Australia’s 12-0 win over South Africa in the number of goals scored in a match -- whereas Argentina’s win over New Zealand is lowest-scoring affair of the 24 games thus far.
After a very average opening 35 minutes in the early game in which the Koreans went ahead 2-0 but needed a Hyun Woo Nam penalty corner drag flick and a Jong Hyun Jang penalty stroke to do it, it came alive in the second spell.
Nam Yong Lee needed just three minutes to stretch his team’s lead when he continued his goal-a-game efforts at the tournament.
Within seven minutes the score had raced to 6-1.
Field goals for Sung Hoon Yoon and Hyo Sik You had the Koreans 5-0 ahead before Philip Wright, with a nice deflection from open play got one back for the Canadians. Any joy was short-lived however as Jang, from the field, grabbed a sixth for the rampant Koreans.
Wright, again with a deft deflection, scored a second for Canada but at 2-6 they were well out of it. And, not much later, embarrassingly swamped.
In a late seven-minute blitz, the Koreans whacked home three more including a third for Jang and a second from penalty corner expert Nam who scored the first and last of his team’s goals.
ENDS
