Hockey: Black Sticks quell Azerbaijan

The New Zealand women's hockey team made a stuttering start to the women's hockey World Cup qualifying tournament in Rome this morning NZ time, coming from behind to beat Azerbaijan 2-1.

The Black Sticks needed second-half strikes from Diana Weavers and Charlotte Harrison to quell opponents ranked well below them.

Azerbaijan's 23rd-minute goal to Inoyathon Jafarova gave them the lead through halftime and still with 25 minutes remaining before Weavers struck from a penalty corner.

A draw would have been an unsatisfactory result for the Black Sticks, who are ranked sixth in the world, but they went ahead of their 19th-ranked rivals when striker Charlotte Harrison scored with 14min remaining.

New Zealand need to finish in the top-two of their six team pool to qualify automatically for the World Cup in Spain in September.

Their next game should be more testing, against the United States on Friday morning.

The US opened with a 1-1 draw against Ireland this morning.

Korea were to meet Italy later this morning in the other pool match.

- NZPA