New Zealand’s women Black Sticks rued missed chances in their 2-0 loss to Germany at the BDO World Cup in Rosario, Argentina on Monday (local time).
“It was disappointing to create so many chances and not put them away,” said Mark Hager, the Black Stick’s Coach who admitted to being gutted by the result.
New Zealand survived two early penalty corner chances by Germany then found holes in Germany’s defence using passes into space from the backfield into attack.
Katie Glynn passed to Charlotte Harrison who could not get a shot on goal and Stacey Michelsen did the same for Gemma Flynn, who shot wide.
Germany’s two goals came in the middle of the first half.
Natascha Keller broke through the Blackstick’s circle defence to scoop over Beth Jurgeleit in goal and although Jurgeleit got a deflection on the shot it fell to Celine Wilde to complete Germany’s first goal.
Two minutes later Tina Bachmann converted Germany’s third penalty corner chance with a low slick along the pitch inside the left post.
The Black Sticks stayed in contention all through the first half and in the last six minutes before the break, Gemma Flynn forced a penalty corner.
New Zealand used a variation at the battery, passed to Kayla Sharland, whose high flick was parried by Barbara Vogel in goal for Germany.
Gemma Flynn manufactured a piercing run over 40 metres along the left boundary but she lost possession in the circle.
New Zealand outplayed Germany in the second half, creating unconverted scoring chances but also leaking three second half penalty corners, adding to the four penalty corners conceded in the first half.
Black Stick defender Clarissa Eshuis was sin-binned for two minutes early in the second half yet Germany failed to capitalise on the advantage.
Germany unsuccessfully applied pressure on New Zealand in the middle of the second half with several scoring chances going begging, including a spectacular scoop by Keller from the top of the circle which just failed to fall into the net.
The Black Stick Women had chances to score through Katie Glynn and Stacey Michelsen but neither could get a clear shot on goal.
Germany failed to convert three penalty corners leading into the last 10 minutes, two well defended on the line and one picked off by Stacey Carr at the battery.
Gemma Flynn had four chances late in the match to deflect in a goal or make her own drive only to be repulsed by Germany’s defence or have her shot go wide of goal.
The Black Sticks suffered a 5-2 drubbing by Germany at their last meeting at the Champions Trophy on 15 July this year in Nottingham.
“For us it was an improvement as the last time we played it was 5-2 against us and this time with the score at 2-0 and I think we had a chance to be equal if we could have made the most of our opportunities,” Hager said.
“Our players have to learn that in these games you have to put chances away and I think that is the difference between us and teams like Germany and Australia and Argentina and Netherlands,” Hager added.
“We are just not clinical enough at both ends of the pitch,” Hager said.
New Zealand plays Netherlands on Wednesday, Argentina time.
PHOTOS - Top: Black Sticks Gemma Flynn, Katie Glynn and Krystal Forgesson defend head to head with German goal keeper.
Bottom: Gemma Flynn drives ahead alongside German defence
