Hello and welcome to Sportstar's LIVE updates of the Hockey World Cup 2018 group stage match between Australia and Ireland. Later, China makes its debut, meeting England.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
That is it. The defending champion is off to a winning start. Australia beats Ireland 2-1.
60' Looks like it is a final chance for Ireland. The Australian defence is too harsh to penetrate and Ireland cannot make any inroads.
58' A couple of free hits for Australia and it doesn't yield in anything productive. Australia just needs to keep it simple.
55' Just a little over five minutes and Australia is content with passing the ball around themselves.
50' Ireland's Jonathan Bell is the culprit as his attempts to thwart an Australian attack leads into a penalty corner but Australia cannot capitalise on it.
47' Australia with a shot on target, but it sadly comes from outside the circle. No damage done to the scoreline.
Fourth and final quarter begins
That is the end of the third quarter. Australia leads 2-1 .
42' Ireland's Mathew Nelson with a good run on the left flank. He reverse flicks and Michael Darling at the goalmouth is thwarted by an Australian defender. A penalty corner review by Ireland as the ball hits the Australian defender's knee. No penalty corner awarded as the shot was from the backstick but Ireland gets to retain the review.
40' A beautiful chance for Ireland. It goes down the drain. Shane O'Donoghue cannot latch on to an excellent pass from his teammate and looks distraught on missing that.
39' Australia's Matthew Swann displays good defensive skills.
35' Another penalty corner for Australia. Jeremy Hayward with a ferocious dragflick and a Ireland defender makes a stupendous save.
33' Australia makes it 2-1. Timothy Brand is on the money. He runs down the flank, takes the pass from Blake Govers and taps it in with glee. He stops on the shot, releases it after foxing the defenders. The first shot is saved but the resulting rebound cannot be saved.
Third quarter begins
That is the half-time. It is 1-1 as the players slip into a lemon break.
28' Australia has upped the ante and its strikes have penetrated into the Irish circle almost every minute in the last five-six minutes.
27' Australia with some good work, Tom Craig penetrates into the circle and David Harte was at his best to stop the onslaught.
25' Penalty corner for Australia. Jeremy Hayward looks for the right corner of the goal and is off target. Another penalty corner. They try to improvise and it results in a skirmish at the goalmouth. Everyone seemed to go for the ball and in the end, Ireland manages to avert the danger.
23' Ireland's Mathew Nelson brings down Australia's Matthew Swann and is sent off promptly. A green card.
22' Quite a bit of indecisiveness for Australia in the front line. A couple of easy passing chances are buttered.
20' A penalty corner for Ireland. Its first of the match. And, it is saved perfectly by the Aussies.
18' Blake Govers with a shot on target and Ireland's David Harte makes a good save.
17' The play is just getting confined into the midfield.
Second quarter begins
That is the first quarter. We have had two goals in the first 15 minutes. How many can the next 45 produce?
13' Ireland equalises. Shane O'Donoghue scores. He latches on to a pass from Eugene Magee and cleverly controls the ball and taps it with precision. Australia 1 - Ireland 1.
11' Blake Govers scores. Australia 1 - Ireland 0. The second penalty corner is converted. He pounces on the ball in a jiffy and sends a thunderous strike and the goalkeeper and defenders can only watch it crash into the net.
11' Blake Govers takes the penalty strike. He dragflicks and it results, not in a goal, but another penalty corner.
10' Australia with a challenge. Timothy Brand with a shot on target and the Ireland goalkeeper deflects it and it just looked like it hit a defender's foot. Australia gets a penalty corner.
10' Australia's Timothy Brand, under pressure from Ireland's Jonathan Bell, cannot get his reverse flick to precision. There is no timing and Brand misses the target by a mile.
6' Australia's Tim Howard with some good stick workl. However, the Irish defenders crowd on him and he loses the ball.
4' First save of the match from Australia goalkeeper Andrew Charter. Ireland attacked from the right and Charter was in position to thwart the attempt. Matthew Swann averts more danger by taking the ball away.
3' Ireland loses possession inside the D after making inroads.
1' Australia penetrates into the Ireland D. The Irish defenders are on the money. Signs of aggression from the Aussies straight away.
1' Australia starts the proceedings. They are playing right to left.
First quarter begins
The countdown begins and we are off.
We are just minutes away from the start. The national anthems are underway.
Here are the starting XIs:
Australia: Daniel Beale, Timothy Brand, Andrew Charter (GK), Blake Govers, Jermy Hayward, Tim Howard, Trent Mitton, Eddie Ockenden (c), Matthew Swann, Corey Weyer and Jake Whetton.
Ireland: David Harte (C, GK), Jonathan Bell, Paul Gleghorne, Conor Harte, Stuart Loughrey, Shane O'Donoghue, Sean Murray, Chris Cargo, Mathew Nelson, Mitch Darling and Eugene Magee.
Comments
SHARE