Japan beat NZ to finish visit on winning note
Japan went into their final match of the two Four Nations tournaments yesterday without a win in either Tauranga or Hamilton over the last two weeks.
The Black Sticks had beaten Japan for the bronze in the first one, and were looking to do so again in Hamilton. However a clinical penalty shootout display enabled world No 16 Japan to topple New Zealand 4-1 in the shootout, after the scores were level 1-1.
Japan came out firing and were 1-0 up in the first quarter through Shota Yamada. Kane Russell equalised for world No 8 New Zealand in the third quarter.
Both sides launched promising attacks through the last period, but neither was able to put in the final touches.
With a penalty shootout needed to decide things, in which players had eight seconds to put the ball in the goal, Japan thrived. They looked in their element in the one on one situations, and scored four in a row.
The Black Sticks didn’t show the same steel in their attempts, with both Hugo Inglis and Marcus Child missing, allowing Japan to nail the victory.
New Zealand head coach Darren Smith said despite the final result, the series had been valuable for the New Zealand squad’s build-up ahead of the Gold Coast Commonwealth
Over the past two weeks, we’ve had the opportunity to get more high quality experience and that all helps us hone our skills as a team leading into the Commonwealth Games.” New Zealand coach Darren Smith
Games in April.
“I thought the end result was pretty fair, Japan started well and played some good hockey and we played a solid second half but weren’t as efficient on the ball as we would have liked,” he said. “The series both here and in Tauranga has been the perfect scenario to go up against three other world class teams who all play different styles.
“Over the past two weeks we’ve had the opportunity to get more high quality experience and that all helps us hone our skills as a team leading into the Commonwealth Games.” World No 3 Belgium won their second title of the trip with a 3-0 shootout win over sixth-ranked India, after the match finished level 4-4.