N.Z. hockey team ecstatic after making semi-finals

Press, 28 July 1976, Page 14

N.Z. hockey team ecstatic after making semi-finals

By

MAX LAMBERT,

NZPA staff correspondent

Montreal

After 20 vears of trying, New Zealand hockey finally made it yesterday—to an Olympic semi-final.

New Zealand joined the Netherlands. Pakis-i tan, and Australia in the last four with a 1-0; sudden-death, overtime victory over Spain. Earlier, the two sides had fought a dour, scoreless regulation match of "0 minutes plus two overtime periods of 7} minutes, each without a goal.

I; A third sudden death over-1 .jtime spell ended when New! Zealand’s inside right. Ram-' ‘iesh Patel, flicked the ball in-' I to the Spanish net after a > penalty comer. , It was fitting that Patel, a ■ New Zealand-born Indian, II should score for he had been, ■'with Barry Maister, the ‘ j strongest New Zealand fortl ward in the series. I The win yesterday’ made

lup for all the frustrations; ■ and disappointments suffered Iby New Zealand hockey ■ players since they began competing in the Olympics in I Melbourne in 1956. Every four years they went away but never came home [with a medal and their best I performance was fifth at ! Rome in 1960. ; The New Zealanders have i always been strong on defence but their slowness — [the coach (Mr Ross Gillespie) [admitted last week the Kiwis ; were probably the slowest [team in international hockey I — has always handicapped I their attack. In Montreal this year the I New Zealanders have been [sound but not outstanding. [They drew with West Germany and Spain, beat Belgium and lost to Pakistan, the leading team in their pool. The loss to Pakistan in the [final game meant they ended [with four points, the same number as Spain. The playoff was ordered to decide ;which team accompanied [Pakistan into the semi-finals [from B pool. The main part of yesterday’s match was numbingly dull, with most of the play between the 25’s and only two or three shots at goal in the entire 70 minutes of regulation time to relieve the boredom. The Spanish, whom New Zealand had never before beaten in five Olympic and international encounters, [played tight defensive hockey land the New Zealanders I found it hard to penetrate.

both sides looked like tired old men. poking around and getting nowhere. Neither wanted to give anything away and the result was boredom for spectators. The complexion of the game changed dramatically during the overtime periods, with both sides striving desperately for the winning goal. New Zealand players and officials were ecstatic when Patel scored and they mobbed him and danced jigs of victory. New Zealand will now play the Netherlands, winners of the A pool, tomorrow morning (N.Z. time) while Pakistan will meet Australia the same day. Australia won its playoff against India yesterday after even longer overtime play than New Zealand against Spain. The match was finally decided on penalty strokes after the three overtime periods did not break a 1-1 tie. New Zealand now cannot do worse than fourth and has a chance to go further. Mr Gillespie said he would rather be facing the Netherlands first off than Pakistan or Australia. “Holland will be tough but we have beaten them before and they’re easier in some ways than the other two.” He added he was delighted with the win over Spain and the progression to the finals. “We won’t start favourites but I think we’ve got a 50/50 chance of a medal and getting to the semis is a dream come true for New Zealand hockey.”