Women’s hockey final eagerly awaited

Press, 28 September 1988, Page 30

Women’s hockey final eagerly awaited

NZPA-Reuter Seoul Australia and South Korea, two teams who have never played in a major women’s hockey final, will compete for Olympic gold in Friday’s final. The match will be eagerly awaited after the same two teams drew 5-5 in a preliminary match in Seoul, widely rated as one of the. best women’s games ever. In the first of yester-

day’s semi-finals Australia, the No. 2 seed, defeated the Olympic champion and World Cup holder, the Netherlands, 3-2, ending its five years of world dominance. In the second semi-final the free-scoring Koreans managed only one goal against Britain but it was enough to give it victory in front of a capacity crowd of well over 20,000. The fullback, Liane Tooth, gave Australia the

lead from a second-min-ute penalty corner. The Dutch came back with an equalising goal after 15 minutes by their sweeper back, Lisanne Lejeune, her sixth goal in four games, putting her at the top of goalscorers’ table. Australia’s heroine was the inside right, Sharon Patmore, who scored its last two goals. She restored Australia’s lead with a fine open play shot after 49 minutes and increased

it with a follow-up shot The Netherlands hit back with a goal from another penalty corner nine minutes from time, from their captain, Marjolein Bolhuis. But Australia dominated the closing minutes to deny the Dutch favourite. Australia’s well-de-served victory was only its third over the Dutch in 23 matches but followed its unexpected success in the Esanda tournament at

Perth last March. South Korea scored its winning goal in the seventeenth minute, breaking away immediately after Britain’s Karen Brown had lobbed a comer shot against the crossbar. As always, the South Koreans moved the ball forward with great speed and accuracy. Hyo-sun met Park Soonja’s pass first time to beat Wendy Banks in the British goal.