Kookaburras cruise into semis

Australia has cruised through to the semi-finals of the men’s hockey tournament while ending the medal hopes of New Zealand with an exciting 5-2 win over the Black Sticks at the State Netball and Hockey Centre tonight.

With both sides failing to score in the first half, the desperation from both sides lifted in the second stanza with a pulsating seven-goal period, and the Aussies put their opponents away with three unanswered goals in the last 10 minutes.

With the score at 2-2 with 10 minutes to go, Luke Doerner, Grant Schubert and Jamie Dwyer – thanks to a dubious penalty decision – finished a gallant New Zealand off with a goal each.

Both sides put the ball in the back of the net in the opening minutes of the game, but as they were hit from outside the penalty area, they didn't count.

It was a free flowing first half, with both sides - especially Australia's Michael McCann - having opportunities to score. But excellent goalkeeping at both ends by New Zealand’s Kyle Pontifex and Australia’s Stephen Lambert kept the game scoreless until half-time.

Five minutes into the second half Mark Knowles made a cutting run into the New Zealand penalty area and hit a rising shot past Pontifex to open the scoring for the Kookaburras.

Pontifex stopped the hosts going two goals up with a stunning save when Australia looked destined to score on the break, then backed it up with a reflex stop from an Australian penalty corner.

New Zealand had a penalty claim waved away, but it didn’t matter as a minute later they’d equalised through Gareth Brookes, who controlled the ball in the penalty area beautifully before smashing a backhand shot past Aussie keeper Stephen Lambert.

But the Kookaburras took the lead back almost immediately when Liam De Young tapped in a Michael McCann deflection across goal.

The Kiwis – knowing they needed an unlikely victory to advance to the semis – struck back quickly through youngster Simon Child, who hit a shot in past Lambert’s left side after some excellent build-up play.

But Australia’s finishing proved too good, and they will face emerging talent Malaysia in the semi-finals on Friday.

Australia’s Brent Livermore believes tonight’s game was a good audition for Friday night, as Malaysia will likely replicate New Zealand’s tactic of pressing back hard to stymy Australian attacks.

“It was pretty good practice in the first half; New Zealand didn’t push out. They had a lot of men in defence and stacked the defence and we found it a little bit hard,” he Australian inside-half said.

“We’ve got to execute our attacking circle penetration so we can get the penalty corners which puts that little bit more pressure on them.”

Livermore, whose wife is due to give birth to their second child on Sunday, said that captain Bevan George will be back in the team on Friday after being rested for a virus.

“He’s a little bit sick (but) he’ll be right – it’s just a matter of precaution knowing that we’re in the semi-finals to get him right for Friday.”

Earlier, England finished runner-up behind Australia in Pool A after downing Canada 5-1. Forward Matthew Daly scored a hat-trick as England – led well from the back by captain Brett Garrard – took advantage of their superior stick skills and finishing.

England will take on Pakistan in Friday’s semi-final after Pakistan ran out Pool B winners by beating Malaysia in a 6-5 thriller, despite four goals from Malaysian defender Kuhan Shanmugananthan.

Malaysia, however, held on for second spot behind Pakistan on goal difference after India could only beat South Africa 2-0. Malaysia will take on Australia only because they scored 16 goals to India’s 14, even though they had the same goal difference.

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