Korea's hopes of reaching the hockey World Cup semifinals were dealt a major blow when they suffered a shock 2-1 defeat at the hands of New Zealand at the Dhyan Chand National Stadium on Friday.
Andrew Hayward and Dean Couzins scored for the Kiwis in the first half to ensure that Nam Yong Lee's last-minute penalty stroke was just a consolation. Korea started the game well, making inroads into the Kiwi circle.
But despite all their attacking, it was New Zealand who took the lead. A penalty corner in the fourth minute gave Hayward his first goal of the tournament. The Asians stepped on the gas after that and attacked relentlessly from both flanks, but the Kiwis were equal to the task and did not let their opponents enter their circle.
The Kiwis doubled their advantage in the 22nd minute with Dean Couzins converting a penalty stroke. The Asians continued applying pressure but to no avail as the Kiwis went into the break two goals to the good.The Koreans had as many as six penalty corners in the second half, but they failed to make any of them count.
Their best chance came in the 52nd minute, when Lee was released by captain Jong Ho Seo, but his shot from an acute angle was wayward.With time running out, Koreans went on an all-out attack. The Kiwis, however, defended deep in their own half and absorbed all the pressure to make sure that there were no let-ups.
The Koreans, like in their previous match against Argentina, finally scored in the last minute of the match. Only that the goal against the South Americans had proved to be the winner whereas Lee’s penalty stroke in this tie did little else than trouble the scorer.With two wins in three matches,
New Zealand are in a good position to make the last-four from Pool A while Korea, who have just four points from three games, face an early exit from the world championship.
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