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HOCKEY: Hockeyroos bounce back to claim tight win

Li Hongxia of China scores against Spain during their Olympics women’s field hockey match in Beijing yesterday. China won 3-0. PHOTO: AFP

Former champions Australia produced a stunning fightback to defeat South Korea 5-4 in their opening match of the Olympic women’s field hockey yesterday.

The Hockeyroos, trailing 1-4 at half-time, pumped in four goals in the second session to secure full points in a group A match played in heavy evening rain at the Olympic Green Hockey stadium.

Shelly Liddelow led the charge with a goal in each half and captain Nicole Hudson and Sarah Young scored one each before Casey Eastham slammed the winner five minutes before the end.

It was a perfect start for the Hockeyroos, looking to make amends for a poor fifth place finish at Athens four years ago after winning the previous two Olympics.

“This game showed we are a bunch of fighters,” said Australian defender Angela Lambert. “It’s not always pretty, but we have the Aussie spirit and a lot of heart.”

“We believed Korea was a real threat going into the game, so to come out and beat them is really a feather in our cap,” she said.

The Korean defeat ruined an otherwise profitable day for Asian women as hosts China and Japan braved the gloomy weather and rain to make a bright start in the 12-nation tournament.

China, gold medallists at the Asian Games in Qatar two years ago, blanked Spain 3-0 in a pool A match watched by some 5,000 home fans.

Japan, who won the Asian Games silver behind China, warded off a spirited challenge from New Zealand before winning 2-1 in pool B.

The unheralded USA girls justified pre-Olympic predictions that this could be anyone’s tournament by holding world No. 2 and title contenders Argentina to a 2-2 draw in another pool B match.

Angela Loy scored the equaliser six minutes before the final whistle after Argentina were content on resting on a 2-1 lead at half-time.

Li Hongxia, who scored the second goal to give China a 2-0 lead over Spain at half-time, said she was inspired to see the big crowd in the stands.

“There was a bit of pressure since this was our first match, but I was motivated when I saw so many people had come to watch the match,” she said.

“I am sure the fans will continue to support us in the rest of the competition. We will try not to disappoint them,” Li said.

Fu Baorong and Gao Lihua were the other scores for China as the Spanish defense failed to make an impression on the rival strikers.

Spain had considered withdrawing from the competition after doping allegations were levelled against two of its players at the Olympic qualifiers in Azerbaijan in April.

The Spanish team’s participation in Beijing was confirmed on Friday, just one day before the opening ceremony, when Azerbaijan’s protest was thrown out by the Court of Arbitration for Sports.

The Spaniards conceded that China were the better team.

“These girls are very fast and it was hard for our defense to adjust to them,” said Spain’s Maria Rosa.

“They controlled the tempo of the game after scoring those two goals and the support from the crowd was also helping them,” she said.

Meanwhile, Japan led 2-0 by the 17th minute through goals by Sakae Morimoto and Toshi Tsukui before Jaimee Claxton pulled one back for New Zealand in the 25th minute.
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