Black Sticks fail to finish the job

New Zealand Black Sticks' Jennes Stephen takes aim while competing against Japan.

The Black Sticks managed to dominate all the statistics except the one that counted in the opening test against Japan at the Tauranga Hockey Centre last night.

The final 2-2 result was greeted enthusiastically by the Japanese players as the Black Sticks were unable to convert any of their six penalty corners.

Tauranga's Andy Hayward came closest with two of his trademark drag-flicks but a man-of-the match performance by Japan's goalkeeper Katsuya Takase frustrated the Black Sticks.

They will be looking for a far more ruthless attacking performance in the second test tonight from 7pm at the same venue.

Early on the match looked like it would be plain sailing for the New Zealanders as they cruised to a 2-0 lead after 16 minutes, thanks to two well taken goals by Steve Edwards and Stephen Jenness.

But a slick finish from Japan's Ippei Fujimoto put an end to any complacency as the Black Sticks went to halftime just one goal ahead.

After a stirring halftime talk from coach Colin Batch, the Black Sticks set siege on the Japan goal and looked certain to score from a succession of penalty corners. But Takase and his organised defensive line stood firm to frustrate the players and good sized crowd.

As the clock ticked down to the final two minutes, Japan replaced their heroic goalkeeper with an attacking player and it worked immediately. Japan broke quickly through the middle and under rare pressure, the Black Sticks conceded their only penalty corner. But that was all Japan needed as Manabu Hatakeyama slid the ball home for a huge confidence boost for the 14th-ranked team in the world against the favoured sixth-ranked Black Sticks.

Black Sticks 2 (Steve Edwards, Stephen Jenness) Japan 2 (Ippei Fujimoto, Manabu Hatakeyama).