Loss for NZ women
01/22/2012 11:37:16 PM
An extra time 2-3 loss to Argentina has left New Zealand women's hockey coach Mark Hager demanding more accuracy and greater discipline from the side ahead of the Champions Trophy starting on Sunday (NZ time).
New Zealand were playing the playoff for third and fourth at the Four Nations tournament in Cordoba.
Argentina are the No.2 ranked side in the world but Hager was still disappointed.
"Our basic skill level let us down today. We weren't able to hold the ball in midfield and we showed an inability to defence adequately around the top of the circle," Hager said.
Julia King scored New Zealand's first goal, her first at international level, while Anita Punt's penalty stroke gave the side the lead in the second half. However, the home side equalised with a few minutes remaining.
Argentina claimed the game in the last moments of the second spell of extra time with a penalty corner.
The two sides meet again in their opening game of the Champions Trophy.