Hockey: Black Sticks draw with Germany

12.00pm

New Zealand went close to pulling off the upset of the women's Champions Trophy hockey tournament as they held Germany to a 2-2 draw in Rosario, Argentina, today.

Goals to Meredith Orr and Lizzy Igasan saw the Black Sticks give the Olympic gold medallists and tournament favourites a fright, having won their previous three matches and conceded just one goal.

It left New Zealand still winless at the tournament but in with a chance of a top-four finish, having also gained a point from their draw with China in round two.

An aggressive, physical approach paid off for New Zealand who welcomed back their key defender Igasan from injury and rattled Germany into errors and turnovers.

They looked a different side, far more confident than their meek 0-4 loss to the Netherlands on Wednesday.

New Zealand created several chances in the first half and Orr converted three minutes before halftime when she followed up a backhand shot to drill the first goal into the right corner.

It was the first time New Zealand had led in four matches at the tournament.

Germany replied straight after the break to level the scores when the experienced Natascha Keller goaled from a stunning backhand shot from the edge of the circle.

New Zealand struck back five minutes later when Igasan followed up a Niniwa Roberts-Lang penalty corner shot and nudged it in to reclaim the lead.

A moment of ill discipline from newcomer Karlie Maloney proved costly for New Zealand when she was sinbinned for 10 minutes for lashing out with her stick.

Five minutes later Germany levelled again when Tina Schutze deflected in a free hit to set up a tense final 20 minutes.

Germany had their own sin binning when Kerstin Hoyer was yellow carded for a challenge on captain Di Weavers, and New Zealand went close to the winner with narrow misses from Igasan and Roberts-Lang.

At the other end, one of New Zealand's standouts Rachel Sutherland cleared off the line to keep the scores level.

New Zealand's final match of the top-six tournament is against Australia on Sunday.

Scores:-

New Zealand 2 (Meredith Orr 32, Lizzy Igasan 42) Germany 2 (Natascha Keller 37, Tina Schutze 50). Halftime: 1-0.

- NZPA