KEY POINTS:
There has been a fair amount of navel gazing since New Zealand's 3-1 loss to Argentina in their penultimate pool match at the Olympic qualifying tournament.
How much they have learned from that and some extensive video sessions will be revealed this afternoon when they play France in what might be a must-win battle to keep their Olympic hopes alive. "It has been a good time to stop and reflect," admitted coach Shane McLeod yesterday.
"By the time we go out to play France we will know what we have to do [to win through to tomorrow's final] and put into practice the things we have talked about.
"Above all else, we have to put in a good performance. We have not hit our straps at this tournament.
"Usually we start well and peter out," said McLeod. "This time we have not started so well and must now finish strongly."
The Black Sticks play France in the last pool match. Before that, tournament leaders Argentina will have played Ireland who go into that game equal on points with New Zealand but with a very slightly inferior goal difference.
A win for Ireland would push New Zealand back to third and needing to beat the French to climb back into the top two.
"Obviously, we would prefer to play Ireland in the final but my gut feeling is it will be a New Zealand-Argentina final," said McLeod. "But if Argentina lose to Ireland by two or more goals it could be us and them."
Like many, McLeod has been disappointed in some of his players.
With some of the so-called top players yet to fire, the pressure has gone on other players who too have been found wanting.
The Argentines feasted on that, giving the New Zealanders few opportunities. In closing the home side down and winning a decent dollop of turnover ball, the South Americans dictated for long periods and turned possession into goals after forcing free hits in good attacking positions.
"We have to make more of the ball we have," said McLeod. "We have played better in the past than what they have shown here. I would be really worried if that [the loss to Argentina] was our best performance of the tournament.
"The Argentine defence was superb. They did not give us a sausage." For that read penalty corners.
New Zealand won only one, which Hayden Shaw failed to convert, just as the visitors failed with their one such opportunity.
"It is ideal that we are playing France in a game which has something on it. We need to be under some pressure and respond to it."
Meanwhile, the New Zealand women continued their five-match series with Korea, losing 3-1 at Crown Relocations Stadium yesterday.
"It was a better effort than our first-up 4-2 loss," said coach Kevin Towns. "We made some progress and created sufficient pressure in parts of the field to show we are [improving]. Having said that, we played too much down the right."
Again, penalty corners were hard to come by, with the Black Sticks scoring from the only penalty corner of the match.
Towns pointed the finger at the umpires, who he feels are too liberal in their rulings, which in turn leads to fewer such opportunities for attacking teams.
"The umpires are doing their own thing," said Towns.
"The rules are written in the book but they appear to take scant notice of them.
"But in no way did they [the umpires] cost us the game. The Koreans are great opponents for us and have shown us our finesse on the ball is a way from where it needs to be.
The third test will be played at Lloyd Elsmore Park at 6.30pm on Monday.
