A last-gasp effort by the German goalkeeper, Yvonne Frank, robbed South Africa of what would have been a well-deserved victory over the third ranked team in the world in the Spar Hockey Festival at the Stellenbosch University’s Astro Turf on Wednesday. The teams drew 2-2.
South Africa had the Olympic champions on the back foot for most of the second half and led after Dirkie Chamberlain scored a superb field goal in the 54th minute. Shelley Russell, sister of the Springbok-wing Brent, led the movement that preceded the goal by Chamberlain.
The Germans came storming back in the 65th minute through a penalty corner by Fanny Rinne, their captain.
In the first half, Sharne Bailey scored from a field goal, and Germany responded with Janine Beermann’s goal, a long solo run after a turn-over. Mariette Rix, the SA goalkeeper, came off her line too quickly – possibly her only error of judgment during this tournament – to allow Beermann to score.
South Africa’s five star-performance was due in no small degree to the superb work done by the midfielders, Marsha Marescia, Kathleen Taylor, Tarryn Bright and Marcelle Keet.
Had Cindy Brown converted the penalty corner-opportunity in the last minute, she would have done justice to the sterling efforts by these midfielders.
South Africa was much more attacking than in Tuesday’s defeat to Holland. The control and ball-retention was 50 % better than in Tuesday’s defeat, while Russell and Lenise Marais thrilled the enthusiastic crowd with some attractive and penetrating runs.
The Germans looked a bit exhausted and were lucky to a degree that South Africa seemed sloppy in their execution from penalty corners.
If Brown, who had an excellent game in general play, had been more on song from the penalty corners, South Africa could have won handsomely.
“We showed that we could string a lot of passes together today, and we kept the ball much more often than earlier in the tournament. We have shown that we are up to the pace in international hockey,” said Jenny King, the SA coach.
“The biggest plus throughout this tournament have been the progress showed by our midfielders,” she added.
Marais was the best player on view on Wednesday. She made several telling runs and kept two or three Germans busy when she was in possession. – (Sapa)
Sport Score: Spar Hockey Festival
Astro Turf Complex, Stellenbosch University
Sa 2 (1), Germany 2 (1).
(0 rating, 0 votes, rated)
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