The Black Sticks men continued their strong start to the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup with a well-earned 3-1 win over South Korea in challenging, rain-soaked conditions on Monday night.
With South Korea coming off a 1-0 loss to India, the match presented an opportunity for the Black Sticks to build on their draw against the host team by climbing to the top of the table at the tournament in Malaysia, and they seized it.
The opening quarter was evenly balanced, both teams generating chances but unable to make the early breakthrough.
As the weather deteriorated and water began pooling on the surface, the game shifted to a scrappier, more unpredictable contest.
Despite the conditions, the Black Sticks struck first.
Sustained pressure late in the second quarter earned a penalty corner, and Sam Lane converted to give the side a 1-0 lead.
In the final second of the half, however, South Korea won a penalty corner of their own and managed to find the net, sending the teams into the break at 1-1.
The third quarter belonged almost entirely to the Black Sticks.
They dominated territory, controlled the tempo and created seven scoring opportunities while limiting South Korea to just one.
Lane and Isaac Houlbrooke came agonisingly close to scoring, but the South Korean defence held firm to keep the match level heading into the final period.
The fourth quarter was where the Black Sticks made their dominance count.
Lane produced a superb deflection to score his second goal of the game, restoring the lead and shifting momentum firmly in the favour of the New Zealanders.
Moments later, Nick Lidstone, having made his international debut the previous day, swept home the team’s third goal, a brilliant moment for the youngster and another milestone in his first tournament.
Lane’s two-goal performance earned him player-of-the-match honours.
The Black Sticks play Canada tonight. — Allied Media
