Hockey: Black Sticks lose series opener

Captain Shea McAleese of New Zealand. Photo / Getty Images

New Zealand battled back from a three-goal halftime deficit but South Korea still won the opening men's hockey test 3-2 at Lloyd Elsmore Park in Auckland today.

The Koreans dominated territory and possession right from the first whistle, forcing their first penalty corner after three minutes and clincally converting through Jong Hyun Jang's high drag flick.

The Black Sticks were under the hammer from then on, Korea's speed on the counterattack leaving New Zealand's midfield defence scrambling time and again.

In contrast, the New Zealanders looked laboured on attack, struggled to build any momentum and rarely stretched the well-organised Korean defence.

Korea made it 2-0 after 12 minutes, another penalty corner from Jang drilled low and to the right of New Zealand keeper Stephen Graham.

A rout was threatened when Hyun Woo Nam converted

a third penalty corner with a well-executed drag flick high and to the left.

Down 0-3 at halftime, the New Zealanders lifted their game in the second spell, cutting back on the midfield errors and looking more assured on attack.

Using more width and pace, they were rewarded after six minutes when captain Shea McAleese earned the penalty corner and Richard Petherick converted to finally put New Zealand on the scoreboard.

The Black Sticks defence tightened as well, generating more turnovers and pressuring Korea on attack with a barrage of shots as fulltime neared.

McAleese pulled another one back with five minutes remaining, with a superb reverse stick shot into the bottom left corner but the Korean defence soaked up the pressure to hold on for the win.

The match was the first in a five-test series, with remaining games in Hamilton and Mt Maunganui next week.

South Korea 3 (Jong Hyun Jang, 2, Hyun Woo Nam) New Zealand 2 (Richard Petherick, Shea McAleese). Halftime: 3-0.

- NZPA