HOCKEY: Australia have gone down fighting against Argentina at the Champions Trophy. Kathryn Slattery got the Hockeyroos on the board with a field goal, but Argentina took the game out with a 2 -1 victory.
With two minutes to go in the first quarter Argentina had the first chance on a penalty corner, but Australian goalkeeper Ashlee Wells was on fire and neatly knocked the ball away from goal.
Going into the second quarter, the scoreboard had yet to be cracked by either team. The Hockeyroos were up for the first penalty corner five minutes into the quarter, and a powerful flick from Jodie Kenny was hit back by Argentina’s goalkeeper Belen Sukki.
Seven minutes into the second term and it was Argentina’s turn on penalty corner, but again Ashlee Wells knocked the ball high and out of range. With three minutes to go before the half time siren, Argentina notched up another penalty corner opportunity. The ball went high, leaving the score going into half time at nil all.
Australia were a chance for a penalty corner 35 minutes into the game but it was a narrow miss that followed. They had the chance to redeem the shot with another penalty corner only seconds later, but the shot from Jodie Kenny went slightly high hitting the bar and bouncing over the net.
Australia were almost on the board after Georgie Parker nailed a tomahawk into goal, but on referral the goal was overruled leaving the game to continue at nil all.
Argentina claimed their first chance at a penalty corner in the third quarter with four minutes left on the clock. Noel Barrionuevo flicked the ball and it flew into goal at pace giving Argentina a 1 – nil lead.
With only a minute to go in the third, Grace Stewart executed an impressive intercept, and cracked the ball at goal, but the Argentine keeper smacked it out of range.
With seven minutes left of the game Carla Rebecchi socked the ball into the net to claim a field goal for Argentina, extending their lead over the Hockeyroos to 2 – 0.
Four minutes to go, and Australia were finally on the board with a field goal from Kathryn Slattery sailing into the net. The Hockeyroos played hard in the last few minutes, desperate to claw the score back however the final siren went and the score finished up at Australia 1 – 2 Argentina.
Hockeyroos Head Coach Adam Commens said: “It was obviously disappointing to not get the result, but I thought the way that we played and conducted ourselves was encouraging. Gabi Nance has been a great contributor for us and we missed her through the midfield today.
“I thought we still created more than enough chances to score more than one goal and we were a little bit unlucky with the video referral. We need to clarification on that, but ultimately we’re headed in the right direction.
“If we’re going to win in Rio we need to make the most of the chances we get not only with field chances but with penalty corners.”
Gabi Nance has been ruled out of the remainder of the tournament having broken a finger during the Hockeyroos clash with New Zealand on Sunday.
The Hockeyroos next play the Netherlands at 6pm BST / 1am AWST (Friday 24) / 3am AEST (Friday 24)
For full coverage on today’s games visit: http://www.fih.ch/news/
Results today
AUS 1 – 2 ARG
NED – USA
GBR – NZL
Hockeyroos’ squad v Argentina
Madonna Blyth (Brisbane, QLD) 333/70
Jane Claxton (Adelaide, SA) 99/9
Jodie Kenny (Wamuran, QLD) 177/97
Karri McMahon (Berri, SA) 101/9
Georgina Morgan (Armidale, NSW) 43/8
Georgie Parker (Berri, SA), 99/31
Brooke Peris (Darwin, NT) 92/13
Casey Sablowski (Albion Park, NSW) 249/44
Kathryn Slattery (South Stirling, WA) 53/15
Emily Smith (Crookwell, NSW) 154/62
Ashlee Wells (Morwell, VIC) 76/0
Used Substitute
Edwina Bone (Evatt, ACT) 112/2
Kirsten Dwyer (Mackay, QLD) 105/2
Georgia Nanscawen (Melbourne, VIC) 180/35
Grace Stewart (Gerringong, NSW) 19/9
Mariah Williams (Parkes, NSW) 47/5
Unused Substitute
Rachael Lynch (Warrandyte, VIC) 148/0
Gabrielle Nance (Kingscliff, SA) 36/2
Hockeyroos’ Fixtures
Thursday 23 June: AUS v NED | 6pm BST / 1am AWST (Friday 24) / 3am AEST (Friday 24)
Saturday 25 June: GBR v AUS | 4pm BST / 11pm AWST / 1am AEST (Sunday 26)
Sunday 26 June: Finals TBC
Hockey Australia
