Sydney: FIH Hockey Pro League action returned to Australia for the first time in 3 years as Hockeyroos took on the Snow Lotuses, with both teams playing their opening encounter of the 2022-23 Pro League season. A closely contested game saw chances aplenty, but the defenders and goalkeepers ruled the day, as the teams could not be separated in regulation time. Australia won the resulting shoot-outs to take the bonus point as Jocelyn Bartram, who had been excellent all game, once again proved too good for the Chinese attackers, saving 3 attempts, giving the Hockeyroos 2 points to start their 2022-23 Pro League campaign, while China took 1 point for the draw.
Australia vs China 1-1 (SO: 3-1)
Both teams were starting their Pro League campaigns with this game and the early parts of the game showed the rustiness that the teams were trying to overcome, having not played international hockey over the past few months. China initially sustained pressure in their own half, but Australian attack lacked the edge as attack after attack fizzled out due to the lack of precision in their final passes. As the quarter progressed China ramped up their press and kept the majority of possession, winning the first penalty corner of the game. Bingfeng Gu took on the penalty corner, but her low attempt was well seen by Jocelyn Bartram and kicked away as the first quarter ended at 0-0.
China scored midway through the second quarter as a powerful hit by Bingfeng from outside the 23m line, went through a couple of players and ended up in the circle, where Xindan Zhang got in front of her marker and glanced the ball slightly right in front of Bartram and into the goal. Australia crucially equalised just before the half-time, as a low shot from the top of the circle by Grace Young was deflected in by Rosie Malone who, similar to Zhang, got ahead of her marker and got the touch right in front of the keeper, as the teams went into the break on level terms.
China went down to 10 players early in the second half with Meiyu Liang picking up a green card for playing after the whistle. Australia made use of the player advantage, winning two penalty corners in the 2 minutes. But the first flick was well saved by the Chinese keeper and the second variation was poorly executed by the Australians as China survived. Australia thought they had scored a second goal through Malone, but China referred the decision and a back stick in the build-up to the goal overturned the decision. Both keepers played important roles as attacks were thwarted on both ends with neither team conceding a goal in the 3rd quarter.
China employed a high press in the final quarter and created potent chances but Kerwshaw, Greiner and Fitzpatrick were great in defence as Australia survived the Chinese onslaught. Australia then had a chance of their own to score from a penalty corner with 30 seconds to go in the regular time, but their variation took too long to get going once again and the Chinese rusher was obstructed in the process and the teams headed for shoot-outs.
Jocelyn Bartram starred in the shoot-outs saving 2 attempts and forcing another one wide as Australia took 2 points from the contest, with China taking a point for the draw in regulation time.
Rosie Malone was awarded player of the match and said: “It’s great to be playing in front of the home crowd again. We had a few debutants, so it was good for them to get international experience. We picked up the intensity in the second half and we will keep getting better as our campaign moves forward.”
FIH Pro League – 10 February 2023
Sydney Olympic Hockey Center, Australia (AUS)
Result: Women’s Match 13
Australia 1-1 China (SO: 3-1)
Player of the Game: Rosie Malone (AUS)
Umpires: Kelly Hudson (NZL), Junko Wagatsuma (JPN), Aleisha Neumann (AUS-video)
–FIH report and photo
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