Hockey: Black Sticks outclassed by Australia

New Zealand crashed out of the men's hockey World Cup in Germany today after yet another belting from Australia.

Their 1-7 thrashing in their final pool game ended their top-four hopes and relegated the Black Sticks to classification play at the weekend, with No 1 ranked Australia moving into the semifinals.

The Black Sticks lost to their Oceania rivals by the same scoreline at the Sultan Azlan Shah tournament in Kuala Lumpur in June. The Kookaburras finished second to the Netherlands then and New Zealand were fourth.

Today however, the ninth ranked Black Sticks were unfortunate to face an Australian side finally hitting top form again after they had lost 1-3 to fourth ranked Spain in their opening game.

They started to work their way back with a 3-1 win over Japan and a 4-0 win over Argentina before hitting their straps in the second half against New Zealand when they scored four goals.

Four of their seven goals came from field play.

And it took them only a minute and a half to confirm their rampaging mood on New Zealand when striker Jamie Dwyer slammed in the first of his two goals while the Black Sticks were still trying to find their bearing on defence.

In fact, New Zealand were under constant pressure for the first 20 minutes, with goalkeeper Paul Woolford, one of New Zealand's best in the tournament, bringing off two saves and another attempt bouncing off the frame.

The tide changed suddenly when New Zealand captain Ryan Archibald started to take chances and played long and deep. Brad Shaw missed from a difficult angle and then Bevan Hari earned the first penalty corner of the game from which Mitesh Patel equalised, smacking in the rebound after goalkeeper Stephen Mowland blocked Hayden Shaw's drag-flick.

Australia tried to look for the perfect shot in the circle and in the process a few chances dribbled away from their sticks before Michael McCann deflected in Australia's second goal in the 26th minute.

Six minutes later Troy Elder added another from a penalty corner.

As throughout the game, New Zealand kept coming back at the Australians and Simon Child closed off the first half with a breathtaking attempt that flew too high.

New Zealand's highly promising start to the tournament -- they beat Argentina 3-0, drew 4-4 with Pakistan and beat Japan 1-0 -- came to nothing as the Australians pumped in another four goals in the second half to hand them their second defeat in the tournament after yesterday's 1-3 loss to Spain.

The first of the four goals came after New Zealand's best period in the game -- the first 15 minutes after halftime. They kept the Australians on the backfoot as they hunted for the inspiring goal which Blair Hopping came close to providing with a reverse stick slam which Mowlam miraculously deflected off.

Matthew Naylor brought the Australians back into the game with their fourth goal and there was no stopping them from that point.

"I think we were always going to be vulnerable because we were going for a win against the world's best team," Black Sticks coach Kevin Towns told NZPA.

"It's pretty hot (27-28degC) here and it's our second game in two days, but in saying that we made too many mistakes. I think our brains were fried halfway through the second half.

"But they gave it their best, it was a gutsy performance and that's all I can ask for."

SCORING

Australia 7 (Jamie Dwyer 2, Michael McCann, Troy Elder, Matthew Naylor, Travis Brooks, Luke Doerner); NZ 1 (Mitesh Patel). Halftime: 3-1.

- NZPA