Hockey: Black Sticks keep Olympic hopes alive

Stephen Jenness got on the scoresheet for the Black Sticks. Photo / Getty Images

New Zealand comfortably beat Japan 4-1 at the World League semifinal in Bueno Aires today to keep their Rio Olympics hopes alive for next year.

The result means the men's Black Sticks will face Spain, who are ranked 11th, four places below New Zealand, in the decider for fifth and sixth places tomorrow. Win that and New Zealand are hopeful they can squeeze into the Rio field once the automatic places have been decided.

The top three teams in Buenos Aires are guaranteed an Olympic trip, as are the best three at the other World League semifinal starting later this week in Antwerp, along with the five confederation champions.

There will be double ups amid those qualification routes, and New Zealand aim to capitalise on that.

They dominated the run of play today, having 18 shots on goal to Japan's eight, 19 circle penetrations to 12 and a 6-1 penalty corner advantage.

However they managed only one goal from a PC, by Andy Hayward late on, which is a concern. The ball was repeatedly mistrapped, squandering opportunities at the set piece.
New Zealand were 1-0 up at halftime, through a nifty Stephen Jenness goal, wriggling along the baseline and beating Japan's goalkeeper at his near post.

It was not until early in the final quarter that the margin increased, with a penalty stroke from Shea McAleese. Hayward's goal made the result certain before Genki Mitani pulled one back for Japan, only for Steve Edwards to finish the scoring in the final minute.

''The Spain game is hugely important. It still gives us a chance to go to Rio and we've got to put ourselves in the best position," Hayward said.

New Zealand could go directly to Rio if they beat world No 1 Australia in the Oceania Cup in Taranaki in October but they don't want to rely on that route.

''Spain have improved as the tournament has gone on, they're a pretty dangerous, skillful team and our defenders have to be on their game," he added.

Spain kept their chances alive by beating Korea 4-2 on penalties after the scores were level 2-2 at full time.

Meanwhile, the women's Black Sticks were beaten 2-0 by the Netherlands in the second of two warmup internationals at the Noordwijkse Hockey Club south of Amsterdam today.

The fourth-ranked New Zealanders and world No 1 Dutch are preparing for their World League semifinal in Antwerp this week. The Dutch won the first match 3-1.