Hockey: Next step a medal

By SUZANNE McFADDEN

After four years of toil, the New Zealand women's hockey team have taken their greatest stride in Olympic history.

But to them it is just one small step.

The Kiwis on Thursday night went through to the six-team semifinals of the Olympics with a tempestuous 1-0 victory over South Africa.

Hero of the moment Mandy Smith said afterwards: "This is really just the beginning for us. We want to go farther."

They want a medal.

Before these Games, New Zealand had never won an Olympic match.

Smith, world hockey's pinup girl, reminded fans she is not just a pretty face.

Her sensational goal halfway through the second half was almost all her own doing. She sprinted down the right line into the semicircle, flicking on to Kate Trolove, then doubling around and smashing it home.

The smiling Kiwis revelled in a victory lap, while the downcast South Africans packed their bags with their first Olympics over.

But an Aussie umpire almost turned the ecstasy into a tragedy - mistakenly disallowing a New Zealand goal when the score was 0-0.

Veteran midfielder Tina Bell-Kake blasted the ball into the circle so fast that umpire Judith Barnesby did not see captain Kylie Foy put her stick to it and deflect it into the backboard.

The ball must be touched inside the circle for it to be ruled a goal. There is no third umpire in hockey, but a monster screen at the ground replayed it all.

There was nothing pretty about the deciding match - three players were sin-binned, among them Bell-Kake after she was sent sprawling in a tackle. Smith got a stick in the lip for her efforts.

The Kiwi women were buoyed by the now-customary haka from the New Zealand team's male athletes on the bank behind them.

New Zealand still had their faults last night - they bungled half of their penalty corners and often stumbled over the ball. But one of their strengths was shutting out the South Africans' penalty corners.

New Zealand have two days off before they carry their seven pool points into the semifinal round robin.

The top two teams then play for gold.