The South African women’s hockey team’s defensive frailties were horribly exposed as they were crushed 6-2 by The Netherlands in the opening match of the Olympic Games hockey tournament on Saturday.
A five-goal first half blitzkrieg from the Dutch stunned the South Africans who struggled to contain the rampant Mijntje Donners, in particular, and went into the break 5-1 down.
Donners finished the match with a hat-trick as the Sydney bronze-medallists got off to a perfect start. The Netherlands, ranked third in the world, are expected to contest for the gold medal at this event.
Holland was first on the board in the 7th minute, but South Africa replied immediately with a stunning, diving effort from striker Jennifer Wilson a minute later.
The rest of the half belonged entirely to the Dutch as SA capitulated in the face of a concerted attacking display in the opening 35 minutes. Goalkeeper Caroline Birt was often given no chance as the Dutch poured through the holes in SA’s defensive line.
South Africa needed to come out firing in the second stanza, but it was the Netherlands who scored shortly after the break to snuff any hopes of a SA comeback.
Wilson grabbed a second midway through the half to pull the score to 6-2, but by then the damage had been done. It was a vastly improved performance by the African champions in the second period with the dangerous Pietie Coetzee making life difficult for the former Olympic gold-medal winners.
The result though severely dents any medal aspirations the South Africans may have harboured. – Sapa