BY BRUCE HAMILTON
New Zealand was overwhelmed by a faster, more aggressive Japan in the first half, conceding three goals inside the first 16 minutes.Japan beat New Zealand 4-3 in the men's 4-Nations tournament here Wednesday.
Japan used it’s speed to outflank New Zealand’s defence, creating havoc for New Zealand’s defenders in the circle.
Tomonori Ono, Kenji Kitazato and Kei Kawakami scored field goals early, driving along the pitch into the corners of goal past Hamish Macgregor in goal.
Richard Petherick lifted New Zealand, converting a penalty corner 23 minutes into the match.
The lift was short-lived as Kazuhiro Tsubouchi’s field goal took Japan to 4-1 at the break and the prospects for a result for New Zealand were not good.
A 30 minute delay due to a thunderstorm at the break allowed New Zealand to re-group and for the pitch to be inundated, taking the initiative away from Japan’s ability to move the ball with lightning speed through the midfield.
New Zealand dominated the second half, controlled the midfield, used higher ball speed and allowed Japan only two possessions in New Zealand’s defensive circle.
Japan lost its skipper Kazuhiro Tsubouchi to a head injury early in the second half causing Japan to lose cohesion, direction and shape in the midfield and allowing New Zealand to dictate the terms of the second half.
New Zealand handled the heavier pitch better than Japan and Japan lost its ability to compete with speed in possession.
Andrew Hayward converted New Zealand’s fifth penalty corner chance, high into the right of the net at the 54 minute mark after relentless pressure my New Zealand.
Marcus Child was on the right post to put in Nick Wilson’s pass across the face of goal for New Zealand’s third goal two minutes later and it looked like New Zealand’s dominance would make an equaliser or a winner, but it was not to be..
New Zealand coach Shane McLeod saw two contrasting halves of hockey.
“Japan played well in the first half when they made the most of their six chances to score four goals but I was really happy with the efforts of the guys as they played a very good second half,” McLeod said.
“In the first half they got a taste of a really quick counter-attack and in the second half they closed that down extremely well,” McLeod added.
New Zealand captain Shea McAleese thought the clock beat New Zealand.
“I was really proud of our boys in the second when we really stood up and took the game to the Japanese but we ran out of time. I am pretty sure if there was another five or ten minutes on the clock we would have equalised and maybe even taken the game – that’s how much dominance we showed in the second half,” McAleese said.
The 4-nations tournament continues Friday when Germany meet Japan and New Zealand play Great Britain.
CLICK HERE FOR HOCKEY NEW ZEALAND TECHNICAL MATCH REPORT
ENDS
PARTNERS
   |
   |
    |
   |