Eyeing the champs

Black Sticks midfielder Anna Thorpe says the world champion Argentinian hockey side are beatable following a 1-1 draw at Whangarei's Rosvall ITM Stadium in the first of three scheduled matches.
The 26-year-old from Northland was back on her home turf on Saturday to play Argentina - the side Thorpe played and lost to when she made her debut for New Zealand at Whangarei in 2009.
Forty-one caps later Thorpe said that the side had come a long way under the direction of coach Mark Hager and the Kiwi's draw with Argentina on Saturday was frustrating. The side gathered for the series was more than capable of beating the world's number-one women's team, she added.
"We so should have won that game. Our structure wasn't there and they cut us open, penetrating us straight down the middle and we had a lot of turnovers."
The Black Sticks defence held strong early on and Kayla Sharland, Ella Gunson and Sam Harrison attacked with confidence, all having a shot at goal, but it was a fast counter attack from an Argentinian penalty corner that resulted in a point on the board for the Black Sticks.
Midlands player Cathryn Finlayson snaffled the ball from Argentina's missed PC and made a superb solo run, taking the ball to within metres of the Argentine goalkeeper Maria Aladro, lining up the shot and slotting it home in the 22nd minute.
Argentina made several attempts to score, but Black Sticks' goalie Bianca Russell produced some good saves, while defender Clarissa Eshuis and midfielder Jan Burrows worked hard to turn over the ball and maintain possession.
The Black Sticks worked hard to defend their one goal lead, but in the 56th minute 24-year-old Maria D'Elia, who has 113 international caps, equalised from a clever penalty corner variation.
The score was all locked up for the rest of the game with both teams determined to score. Several times co-captain Emily Naylor dived to defend the ball and turn it over, but the Black Sticks could not convert it into a goal.
The Kiwi players felt in control throughout the game but basics let the side down, with no particular player standing out, Thorpe said. They would be sitting down for a lot of video analysis ahead of their next two matches this week.
"We will definitely be going for the win in the next two games. Argentina have a couple of their top experienced players missing and there are some development players in there too - a bit like our squad - but they are beatable for sure," she said.
Meanwhile, Hager reiterated that the basics needed to improve and possession needed to be held for longer periods of time if the Black Sticks want to win the next two tests in the series.
"Argentina will come out firing in the next couple of games, so we need to be prepared to better handle the ball under pressure and make decisions quickly to ensure we keep possession," Hager said.
Both teams left Whangarei early yesterday morning to prepare for tonight's second clash at North Harbour Stadium and their final hit out - also at North Harbour - tomorrow. Both games start at 6pm.