19 Apr 2013

Black Sticks beat USA 1-0

11:45 am on 19 April 2013

The Black Sticks women held off a spirited United States to take a 1-0 win after an early goal from Michaela Curtis in game two of the Four Nations hockey tournament in Hamilton on Thursday night.

The coach Mark Hager admits his side was lucky to come away with a win and says they will have be more clinical when they take on Korea on Saturday, if they want to confirm their spot in the final.

New Zealand had the majority of possession and ample opportunity to score in the first half but struggled to convert.

While the Black Sticks took a 1-0 lead into the second half, USA were the more dominant side in the second spell and it was thanks to some fortunate saves in defence that the score remained unchanged.

The Black Sticks, along with Olympic silver medallists Argentina, are now on four points ahead of Korea on three with the USA still to claim a win in the second-leg of the tournament.