A last-gasp effort by German goalkeeper Yvonne Frank robbed South Africa of what would have been a well-deserved victory over the third-ranked team in the world in the Spar Hockey Festival at the University of Stellenbosch’s Astro Turf on Wednesday. The teams drew 2-2.
South Africa had the Olympic champions on the back foot for most of the second half and led after Dirkie Chamberlain scored a superb field goal in the 54th minute. Shelley Russell, sister of Springbok winger Brent, led the movement that preceded the goal by Chamberlain.
The Germans came storming back in the 65th minute through a penalty corner by captain Fanny Rinne.
In the first half South Africa’s Sharne Bailey scored from a field goal, but Germany responded with a Janine Beermann goal following a fine run after the hosts had lost possession. South African goalkeeper Mariette Rix erred by coming off her line too quickly — possibly her only error of judgement during this tournament — to allow Beermann to score.
South Africa’s five-star performance was due in no small degree to the superb work done by the midfielders, Marsha Marescia, Kathleen Taylor, Tarryn Bright and Marcelle Keet.
Had Cindy Brown converted the penalty-corner opportunity in the last minute, she would have done justice to the sterling efforts by the midfielders.
South Africa were much more on the attack than in Tuesday’s defeat to The Netherlands. The control and ball retention was 50% improved, while Russell and Lenise Marais thrilled the enthusiastic crowd with some attractive and penetrating runs.
The Germans looked a bit exhausted and were let off the hook by South Africa’s sloppy execution of penalty corners.
”We showed that we could string a lot of passes together today, and we kept the ball much more often than earlier in the tournament. We have shown that we are up to the pace in international hockey,” said Jenny King, South Africa coach.
”The biggest plus throughout this tournament has been the progress shown by our midfielders,” she added. — Sapa