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Lucy Talbot, Stacey Michelsen and Beth Jurgeleit of the Black Sticks - Source: ONE Sport -
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It wasn't pretty according to Black Sticks skipper Kayla
Sharland, but today's (NZT) 3-0 win over India at the women's World
Cup hockey tournament at Rosario, Argentina, has booked them a
playoff meeting with China for seventh and eighth placing.
"Obviously it was a great to come up with a win," said Sharland,
who scored twice today.
"It was not the prettiest game. At the end of the day, we have
three points. I am pleased to keep going."
Japan, who had drawn 1-1 with New Zealand earlier in pool play,
were the only side who could usurp New Zealand's fourth placing in
the pool, needing to beat the Netherlands by three goals in a later
match.
But Japan went down 5-2 to the reigning world, Olympic and European
champions, leaving New Zealand to contemplate Saturday morning's
(NZT) match against a side ranked No 3 in the world coming into the
tournament.
Sharland's team will take heart from the fact that they beat China
4-3 the last time they met in competition -- in the playoffs for
fifth and sixth at the Champions Trophy tournament in Nottingham in
July after losing 1-3 in round-robin play.
The Black Sticks' win was set up by three second half goals after a
first half in which India defended stoutly to break New Zealand's
attacks in front of the shooting semi-circle.
New Zealand, who had not converted any of the 14 penalty corners
they earned over four earlier games, were awarded their first
penalty corner of the match in the 33rd minute but Sharland's drag
flick went wide.
Earlier, a mazy run by Emily Naylor ended with Samantha Harrison
shooting wide with a reverse stick shot.
India, who were limited to counter-attacks had their best chance to
score when 15-year-old Rani Rampal, the youngest player in the
tournament, wriggled free along the end line only to see her
smartly taken shot go wide at the far post.
New Zealand came out aggressively in the second half, desperate to
give themselves a chance of maintaining their world ranking of
seventh and ensuring a place in the 2012 London Olympics subject to
International Hockey Federation confirmation at the conclusion of
the tournament.
Sharland and Stacey Michelson put a lock on the midfield and the
New Zealand attack began to flow better.
Sharland saw her first shot fended off by Indian goalkeeper Deepika
Murthy but made no mistake seconds later with a reverse stick shot
in the 44th minute for her second goal of the tournament.
Gaps began opening in the tiring Indian defence and centre forward
Katie Glynn was on hand to deflect a brilliant cross from Forgesson
seven minutes later.
New Zealand finally broke their penalty corner duck in the
tournament when Sharland finished off their third of the match with
a flick high into the net in the 54th minute to break Indian
defiance.
"Obviously it was good to get both goals," Sharland said in a
post-match interview.
"We had to fight it out, but it was good to finally get a (penalty
corner goal)."
Coach Mark Hager said it had been a grind-it-out sort of
game.
"It was not our most consistent game... sometimes you play
well and don't win and sometimes you don't play well and you win.
It was a pleasing result in that sense."
New Zealand 3 (Kayla Sharland 2, Katie
Glynn)
India 0
Halftime: 0-0.
