Thaindian News

By Avishek Roy
New Delhi, March 5 (IANS) A resolute New Zealand defeated Korea 2-1 in a Pool A match to stay in contention for a semi-final berth in the Hockey World Cup here Friday.

For New Zealand, Andrew Hayward (4th minute) converted a penalty corner while Dean Couzins (22nd) scored through a penalty stroke.

Koreans, who wasted as many as seven penalty corners, pulled one back as Nam Yong Lee converted a penalty stroke just before the final hooter.

The Black Sticks now have two victories from three matches and took their points tally to six. Asian champions Korea, after putting up an impressive performance to split points with defending champions Germany in the first match, are on four points from three outings.

Korea managed full points in their evenly contested second match against Argentina, thanks to a last-minute penalty-corner conversion, and were hoping for a similar turn of fortune against New Zealand.

Korea, after conceding two goals in the first half, quickened the pace after the change of ends, but the New Zealand defence thwarted their moves. Korea earned six penalty corners in the second half but could score from none with goalkeeper Kyle Pontifex making some brilliant stops.

But the one that came in the 63rd minute when Pontifex denied Korean skipper Seo Jong Ho proved crucial as the Koreans were making relentless forays in the last few minutes.

Before that New Zealand could have swelled the tally through a fast couter-attack but Nicholas Haig after latching on to a pass by Shea Mcaleese’s failed to put it across.

Korea after failing with their seventh penalty corner got a penalty stroke and Yong Nam Lee, who scored the all-important goal against Argentina, finally got one past Pontefix.

But by then it was too late for Korea.