Australia edges past NZ to top pool
GOLD COAST: Australia has clinched top spot in men’s pool A with a 21 win over transtasman rival New Zealand.
The result lifts it past the Black Sticks in the pool, with the Kiwis now set for a semifinal clash against either England or India.
The gold medal favourite was on track to make it four wins in as many games thanks to some early brilliance from Jake Whetton.
After a closely fought opening, New Zealand had a prime opportunity to draw first blood but Hugo Inglis missed from pointblank range in the 19th minute.
Whetton then burst to the byline moments later with a free hit and flicked over the inside shoulder of Kiwi goalkeeper Richard Joyce on the tightest of angles.
The contest stretched in the final period as the Kiwis, ranked No 9 in the world, searched for an equaliser, but Trent Mitton squeezed home a goal in the closing minutes to give his team breathing space.
New Zealand pulled its goalkeeper in a final throw of the dice and the move paid off, with Cory Bennett scoring in the 59th minute to set up a grandstand finish.
But the Kookaburras held on and remain on track for a sixth straight gold.
Black Sticks ace Kane Russell, who leads the tournament in goals with six, had two looks from the penalty corner in the third quarter but failed to find the net.
Their loss follows big pool wins over Canada, South
Africa and Scotland.
‘‘[I’m] obviously a bit disappointed to go down tonight to a pretty tough Australian side, but the way we played through pool play was really pleasing,’’ Inglis told reporters.
‘‘We scored a lot of goals from the penalty corner and the field.
‘‘It was nice to be challenged a little bit more than the earlier pool matches — it’s just the finer details, how we flow through the attacking third.’’
The men’s hockey semifinals will take place tomorrow night. — NZN