Florian Fuchs of Germany is tackled by Simon Child of New Zealand. Photo / Getty Images
New Zealand 1
Germany 2
The 33rd Champions Trophy got underway at the North Harbour Hockey Stadium today, but it wasn't a happy homecoming for the Black Sticks as they went down 2-1 to Germany.
New Zealand were always going to be up against it playing the Olympic and German champions, but they had their share of chances and, on another day, could have upset the world's second-ranked side.
But the Germans were good for their victory and, without some profligacy from their seven penalty corners, the result may have been much more comfortable.
New Zealand, the seventh-ranked side in the tournament, hadn't beaten Germany in four previous Champions Trophy meetings, but they showed no intimidation and were buoyed by the return of the mercurial Ryan Archibald's.
But it wasn't enough for the hosts, and they now head into a must-win game against sixth-ranked Korea tomorrow afternoon, with a tricky game against the Netherlands following on Tuesday.
It was a free-flowing, entertaining frist half, with no shortage of opportunities for either side.
Germnay earned the first of three first-half penalty corners in the second minute, and captain Jan-Marco Montag nearly gave the Germans the perfect start but his drag flick hit the right frame of the New Zealand goal.
It kick-started an opening period of dominance for Germany, as they set up camp inside the Black Sticks' half.
Their early ascendancy was rewarded after nine minutes, when some fine play on the left wing by Christoph Menke presented an opportunity for Thilo Stralkowski.
The striker made no mistake and diverted Menke's ball past New Zealand 'keeper Kyle Pontifex to put the Germans in front.
The goal seemed to bring the Black Sticks to life, and they started to cause the German defence some problems, particularly out wide.
A couple of teasing balls into the middle from Shea McAleese were put past their own goal by German defenders, before New Zealand finally got the final delivery right.
Simon Child appeared trapped after hugging the left sideline, but he delivered a pinpoint cross and Hugo Inglis dived in front of a defender to poke home the ball.
Time was nearly up in the half when the Germans' dangerman Tobias Hauke came agonisingly close to putting his side ahead.
A penetrating run through right midfield was punctuated with a shot across goal that struck the inside of Pontifex's left post and bounced safely away.
Hauke thought he's scores, and celebrated as such, but his celebrations were cut short and the teams headed into the sheds on level footing.
The second half commenced quite cautiously, with neither side committing too many players forward. Child nearly broke the deadlock 10 minutes after the break but his reverse-shot scooped up and over Jacobi's goal.
The Germans followed that up with a couple of squandered chances, before they edged in front with 10 minutes left.
The goal came almost out of nothing, with a relatively regulation ball driven into the New Zealand area by Jan Philipp Rabente deflected on target by Christopher Wesley.
New Zealand may have pinched a point with five minutes remaining, but a drag-flick from their second penalty corner was clocked on the line by a German defender.
In earlier results from pool A, world number one Australia came from behind to edge Spain 3-2, and Great Britain did likewise in beating Pakistan 2-1.
New Zealand 1 (Inglis 14)
Germany 2 (Stralkowski 9, Wesley 60)
HT: 1-1