The Dutch team won the final match of their South African tour in convincing style by beating South Africa 5-0 in the Spar Hockey Festival at the Stellenbosch University Astro Complex on Tuesday.
It was South Africa’s third straight defeat in this tournament. The Dutch ladies, ranked number 1 in the world, beat the South Africans by 6-0 on Saturday, while the Germans, the Olympic champions, beat the hosts by 3-1 on Sunday.
The Dutch team, crowned World Champions in 2006, was every bit as dominant as the score-line indicated, although the South Africans played with passion and commitment and restricted the team of Minke Booij to a 1-0 lead at half time.
Booj scored the first goal from a penalty corner in the thirteenth minute.
South Africa had some opportunities to draw level, after a superb run by Sharne Bailey and Marsha Marescia right on half-time. From the resultant penalty corner, Cindy Brown’s strike was just wide.
In the second half, Holland had the South African goal under siege for most of the 35 minutes playing fluent attacking hockey, and when defending, virtually robbed the South African midfielders every time they were put in possession. Henna du Buisson and Shelley Russell had little chance to attack.
The Dutch attackers had the monopoly of possession, and the flair of Kim Lammers, Naomi van As and Sophie Polkamp made life difficult for South Africa.
Lammers scored from a penalty corner in the 42nd minute, while Maartje Paumen (49th and 51st minutes, from penalty corners) as well as Booj in the 54th minute, from a penalty corner, added the rest of the goals.
“We were a lot more competitive than in the first match against the Dutch,” said a disappointed Marescia after the game. “But today we were competitive for 70 minutes, and not only 35.
“We were let down by our retention of the ball. We need to work very hard on our individual skills,” she added.
The South African inexperience was a major factor in the defeats. At the start of the tournament, South Africa had played in 623 tests as a unit, while the Dutch team had 1253 Test caps collectively.
The Dutch ability to pressurize the South African midfielders and then counter attack, had the South African defense stretched for almost the whole of the second half.
Booj said afterwards that South Africa played well in the first half, but need to improve their basic organizational skills, as well as their defense from penalty corners.
Credit to Mariette Rix, who defended superbly in the goal mouth, while Marescia’s skills and Brown’s commitment were commendable.
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