Kookas Cane The Kiwis

Sydney Morning Herald

Thursday March 23, 2006

Emma Quayle

A THIRD Games gold medal remains within sight for the Kookaburras, who progressed to the hockey semi-finals last night with a 5-2 win over New Zealand.

The undefeated Australians, who will play Malaysia tomorrow for a shot at the gold medal match, cemented their place at the top of their pool with five second-half goals and condemned the New Zealanders to the minor-place play-offs.

The Black Sticks needed an outright win last night to nudge themselves past England and into a semi-final. After a 0-0 first half, the New Zealanders needed to create more space to score. They did so, but it was the Australians who used most of it, scoring first when defender Mark Knowles flashed into the circle.

Gareth Brooks slotted a reverse-stick equaliser for the Black Sticks, and the game then opened up. Liam De Young sat on the end of a Michael McCann deflection two minutes later, before Kiwi teenager Simon Child levelled.

Australia then cracked the Kiwi defence open, with Luke Doerner, Grant Schubert and Jamie Dwyer, off a penalty stroke, settling the score.

The Hockeyroos, meanwhile, will play England in their semi-final this morning.

© 2006 Sydney Morning Herald

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