The New Zealand womens hockey teams dream start to their Olympic campaign continued today with a comprehensive 4-1 win over South Africa. Coming on top of their opening 1-0 win over Australia, the result means New Zealand now sit top of their pool. Delighted New Zealand coach Mark Hager said he would have been happy with four points a win and a draw from his teams first two matches, so to score successive victories is a huge boost to his teams hopes. Just as they did against Australia, the Black Sticks grabbed a goal in the third minute, courtesy of a Charlotte Harrison shot from a penalty corner. The New Zealanders piled on the pressure and added another goal from a penalty corner, this time to Clarissa Eshuis, in the 22nd minute. When New Zealand captain Kayla Sharland rammed home a field goal in the 29th minute, the game shaped as a walkover. However South Africa, ranked 12th in the world to New Zealands sixth, fought back with spirit. Pietie Coetzee pulled one goal back in the 52nd minute with a penalty stroke and for a moment New Zealand seemed to wobble. Sharland sealed matters in the 61st minute with a well-struck field goal to take her team out to a 4-1 lead, and thats how it stayed. New Zealands dominance was illustrated by the fact that they earned nine penalty corners, compared to none for South Africa. Hager said the two victories showed his team had peaked at the right time. He pointed to one area of concern. They are a young team and the biggest issue is that they havent been able to crush teams once theyve got on top. We let them back in the second half. New Zealands next game is on Thursday, against world No 2 Argentina. London 1908 Olympic Summer Games Clarissa Eshuis Charlotte Harrison Kayla Whitelock
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