Hockeyroos feeling medal pressure
HOCKEY: The Hockeyroos will enter their semi-final tonight under enormous pressure to deliver victory and a chance at a gold medal – and they can only blame themselves.
Australia faces India for the right to meet either England or New Zealand in the gold medal match.
The Australians, who have won four of five gold medals in Commonwealth Games history, did not concede a goal in their four pool games.
With a medal opportunity on the line you would expect any side to face pressure but Hockeyroos forward Stephanie Kershaw says most is self-inflicted as they chase a fifth gold medal.
“We put the pressure on ourselves because we think we should be in the gold medal match and we think we should be winning that gold,” Kershaw (pictured) said.
“Anything else will be disappointing ourselves.”
Kershaw missed the Rio Olympics through injury but the Townsville product said it was a dream come true to play in a home Games.
India, whose shock 3-2 loss to Wales in the opening game prevented them from topping Pool A, will have to do what no other team has been able to do this Games campaign: beat goalkeeper Rachael Lynch.
A member of the gold medalwinning Hockeyroos outfits at Delhi in 2010 and Glasgow in 2014, the 31-year-old Victorian has played more than 150 games for her country.
“She’s done a really good job, she’s a really experienced goalkeeper and I’m definitely happy to have her in the net behind us,” Hockeyroos defender Edwina Bone said.
“With Rachael in the net it’ll help us but we’ll gave to be on our game.”
Tonight’s game starts at 9.15.