Bhubaneswar: France, the lowest-ranked team of the tournament, fought well against New Zealand but went down 1-2 in the Hockey World Cup Pool A encounter at the Kalinga Hockey Stadium on Wednesday.
New Zealand joined Argentina at the top of Pool A with 3 points after the Olympic champions played out a thrilling 3-3 draw in the first match of the day.
The first-quarter, unlike the first three games of the tournament, witnessed no goals. The execution inside the penalty circle wasn’t perfect. Passes were missed, untrapped and, hence, despite both teams penetrating each other’s penalty circles, they failed to score.
But within a minute of the second quarter’s start, the Black Sticks scored. The intermission of the first quarter seemed to break France’s momentum. Shea McAleese surprised them with an aerial long ball from the half-line. Kane Russell, from the right flank, trapped the ball after it bounced once. He, then, sprinted along the byline and, with a reverse-tomahawk, made a spectacular finish.
France played much better than their ranking (20th in the world) suggested. In the first half they had better possession (52%) in New Zealand’s half than New Zealand (48%) had in theirs. The defence, too, was solid. New Zealand could convert only one of their five shots on goals.
With seven minutes to go, France got two back-to-back penalty corners, which they couldn’t convert. Captain’s Victor Charlet’s drag-flicks were successfully thwarted by the ‘keeper Cory Bennett on the first occasion and by the defence on the second.
Then Stephen Jenness, with four minutes to finish, scored a goal similar to that of Russell’s to extend New Zealand’s lead. Unmarked in the right flank, he received an aerial pass from Nic Wood from half-line and, from the edge of the circle, unleashed a mighty hit that beat the ‘keeper.
There was still drama left when captain Charlet, scored France’s first goal of the tournament, drag-flicking the ball to the top-right corner of the net in the 59th minute. France, alas, didn’t have enough time to save the match.
Buy an annual Scroll Membership to support independent journalism and get special benefits.
Our journalism is for everyone. But you can get special privileges by buying an annual Scroll Membership. Sign up today!