Spain Reign Over Kookaburras

Sydney Morning Herald

Friday August 22, 2008

Richard Hinds in Beijing

Spain 3

Australia 2

THE Australian men's hockey team's gold medal defence ended in bitter disappointment last night after they failed to hold on to a commanding early lead, going down in their semi-final 3-2 to Spain.

The Kookaburras had led 2-0 just after half-time when Eddie Ockenden scored from a brilliantly worked attack.

With the Spaniards unable to convert any of their many early chances, it appeared the Kookaburras would get the chance to repeat their triumph in Athens four years ago. However, two quick goals by Spanish striker Eduard Tubau levelled the scores and Santiago Freixa scored from a penalty corner with just two minutes left to play, sending the Spanish fans into raptures and leaving Australia's hopes of back-to-back Olympic titles in tatters.

Although they no longer have to contend with the tag of Olympic disappointments that dogged previous Australian teams, it was a heartbreaking result nonetheless for a talented line-up that included eight players who had not tasted gold medal success in Athens.

Having gone through their group games undefeated, and with a recent 4-1 victory over Spain in June's Champions Trophy final under their belt, the Australians had been heavily favoured to advance to what would have been the Kookaburras' fifth Olympic final.

Instead, they will be left to fight for the bronze medal with the Netherlands, who were also surprise losers in their semi-final against Germany.

Having lost striker Grant Schubert to a knee injury in the dying moments of the final group game against Britain, the Australians could not - on the night they needed it most - reproduce the form that has made them the world's top-ranked nation.

For the Spaniards, victory was revenge for their semi-final defeat to Australia in Athens.

With light drizzle falling on a sodden pitch, the Australians made a brilliant start when Des Abbott deflected a shot from Travis Brooks into the net after just 27 seconds.

But Spain went on the attack, drawing three penalty corners in as many minutes and forcing several saves from in-form Australian goalkeeper Stephen Lambert. The Spanish could have levelled just before half-time but defender Kiel Brown cleared the ball from the line.

Just 90 seconds into the second half, Ockenden was on the end of a brilliant exchange between Mark Knowles, Eli Matheson and Abbott to poke the ball in the net and give the Australians what appeared to be a commanding lead.

But the Kookaburras would soon be on the back foot again. Tubau's first goal came after 39 minutes. He pounced on the deflection of the second of two reflex saves by Lambert and gave the Spanish the goal their attacking play had deserved.

Then three minutes later, after the Australian defence failed to clear a saved shot at goal from a penalty corner, Tubau seized on a cross to haul the Spaniards back on level terms.

That set the stage for a nerve-wracking final 20 minutes in which both teams had chances to take the lead.

Australia's best chance came when Abbott came perilously close to scoring 13 minutes from time. He stretched to deflect a pass, but his shot went just centimetres wide of the right goal post.

Then, with just two minutes left to play, Freixa struck, to leave Australia without a men's or women's Olympic hockey gold medal for the first time since 1992.

© 2008 Sydney Morning Herald

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