Hockey: Last chance for survival

By TERRY MADDAFORD

Australia 3 New Zealand 0

There is no respite for the New Zealand women's team at the Champions Trophy in Argentina.

Just 24 hours after losing their last round-robin match 3-0 to Australia, the Di Weavers-led side is back in action for a must-win game with China.

This morning's play-off (at 8.15) for fifth will determine the Black Sticks' immediate future. A win will earn them a ticket to next year's tournament.

A loss will see them pitched back into the wilderness and cost them invaluable international play before the 2006 Commonwealth Games.

Coach Ian Rutledge admitted there would need to be changes for the game after the loss to their transtasman rivals who will play-off for third against hosts Argentina.

"We have to make some adjustments," said Rutledge.

"Our performance [against Australia] was okay. We have learned a lot here. We have had our highs and lows. It is important now to improve our lows and keep up the highs."

New Zealand had their opportunities in yesterday's early game but the failure to convert those half chances cost them dearly, as did their nil return from six penalty corners.

Australia fared better.

From their first penalty corner, Jessica Arrold gave her side their 18th minute lead with a well-aimed drag flick.

New Zealand continued to press, forced penalty corners but even with Australia reduced to 10 players, could not score.

Second-half goals to captain Nikki Hudson and an Arrold penalty stroke completed the scoring.

Weavers conceded they had not put enough pressure on their opponents.

In their first-day clash, New Zealand drew 1-1 with China - one of only two goals scored by the Chinese.

In the last game yesterday, Germany and the Netherlands played out a 1-1 draw, much to the disgust of the rowdy crowd who wanted one of the teams to win, which would have allowed Argentina to win through to the final.

In their last pool match the hosts beat China 5-0.

Before the match, Argentina's Luciana Aymar was named the international player of the year and team-mate Soledad Garcia, for the second time in three years, was named young player of the year.