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Australian women’s hockey team made a winning beginning, staging a come-from behind 4-2 victory over South Korea in the first of the four-match hockey Test series at the Perth Hockey Stadium in Perth on Wednesday.
The Hockeyroos, were shaken from their slumber when the visiting South Koreans took the lead through their captain Park Mi Hyun in the 25th minute. The South Korea’s most capped player scored a superb goal, rattling the Australian cage from an acute angle.
The Asian giants held on to their 1-0 lead at half-time.
Australian eves responded strongly in the second period. Ashleigh Nelson – the lone Western Australian player in the side – restored parity in the 41st minute, slamming a rebound followed a penalty corner execution by Anna Flanagan.
South Korea were left tearing their hair out six minutes later when they conceded an own goal to allow Hockeyroos to pull ahead.
Australian captain Madonna Blyth, who is making a comeback to the side after missing the national team’s tour to South Africa earlier this year, fired the third goal in the 64th minute to make the scoreline 3-1.
South Korea earned their first penalty corner in the 59th minute and they made the most of it to further enliven the contest in the dying moments.
The match could have gone either way in the final ten minutes of play.
Claire Messent wiped out all anxieties from the hosts’ perspective by converting a penalty corner five minutes from the final hooter.
Down 2-4, South Korea just had too much to do to force their way into the contest in the last five minutes of play.
The Redshirts were kept at bay as the Hockeyroos triumphed.
The second hockey Test is going to be played at the same venue on Thursday.
South Korea had a mixed bag in the two-leg Four Nations hockey tournaments held across several venues – Whangarei, Hamilton and Tauranga in New Zealand, which also featured hosts New Zealand, world champions Argentina and the United States.
The Redshirts stormed into the final showdown in Whangarei after upstaging world champions Argentina 4-3 in the league phase.
The Asian powerhouse earlier stunned hosts New Zealand 4-3 in the tournament opener before they were surprisingly handed a 1-2 defeat by the United States.
South Korea, however, cut a disappointing day in office, in the title tilt against New Zealand with the Black Sticks emerging clinical 3-0 winners.
However, the South Korea put up a below-par showing in the second leg held in Hamilton and Tauranga. They did start well, spanking the United States 4-1 before their challenge fizzled out.
The Redshirts lost to Argentina 2-4 before being humiliated by New Zealand 1-5.
The Asian giants lost to the USA 1-0 in the bronze medal play-off tie to settle for the last spot among four nations.
New Zealand had won the first leg, while Argentina won the second leg.
