SUNDAY NOVEMBER 20 2016 SPORT 55 Kookaburras notch vital second victory over Black Sticks in NZ

AUSTRALIA were clinical in Both teams worked hard in phen Jenness mistimed his year-old on a driving run win over Australia. Pounded game alive nine minutes into notching their second men’s the opening quarter, but strike on goal. across goal late in the first 6-0 by the Hockeyroos just the second quarter, providing a trans-Tasman hockey win over couldn’t create too many op- The Black Sticks had to work quarter. Beale wasn’t to be de- two days ago, the New Zea- superb finish to an excellent New Zealand, two second- portunities in close, with strong overtime for the final five min- nied, however, and slammed landers looked a different team team goal that was kick-start- quarter goals enough to set up defensive work in the attacking utes of the spell with skipper home early in the second quar- yesterday, bringing real re- ed by the hugely influential Liz a 2-1 victory in . third difficult to break. Nick Haig yellow-carded, but ter after a slick interchange solve to the second clash. Thompson. The win yesterday follows New Zealand’s best oppor- did well to hold the Aussies out. with Aaron Kleinschmidt cre- With more drive and pace The 21-year-old Aucklan- Thursday’s opening 4-2 Test tunity of the first quarter came Daniel Beale’s pace and an- ated space. from the midfield, the Black der pounced on a loose pass as victory and gives the Kooka- after five minutes from a ticipation proved dangerous, Meanwhile, New Zealand Sticks pressured the Austra- Australia tried to play the ball burras an unbeatable 2-0 lead strong Dominic Newman and it took some desperate de- levelled the women’s hockey lians from the first whistle. out, then found Kirsten Pearce in the best-of-three series. drive into the circle, but Ste- fence to deny the speedy 23- series with an emphatic 2-0 Olivia Merry brought the on the edge of the circle. Mariners chase win to validate ‘slick’ form

PAUL Okon has doubled down on his belief Central stall as Coast are playing the best football in the A-League as he prepares for his first F3 Derby as a coach. The Mariners take on the Newcastle Jets – who Okon captained in his final season as patrons a player – at McDonald Jones Stadium today. Both sides have endured a tough start to the season, with only one win apiece after six rounds. But while the Jets are genuinely struggling on the see red back of a relentless injury toll, Okon insists the Mariners are playing slick, attractive SYDNEY FC’s A-League could have easily been three football – they just don’t have winning streak has come to or four goals down before the results to prove it. an end but they remain un- halftime. “I think some of the stats beaten this season after a Unable to play through will show that. It just depends spirited 1-1 draw with Bris- Sydney’s relentless press, on how much you want to look bane Roar. the Roar coughed up the into the stats,” Okon said. Josh Brillante and Thom- ball repeatedly while trying “I don’t think any of our as Kristensen scored first- to play out of defence, with opportunities or goals we’ve half goals but the two sides Brillante taking advantage scored have come from couldn’t be split after a com- of their sloppiness in the mistakes off the opposition – pelling and controversial 13th minute with a rocket it’s all been stuff that we’ve clash at Suncorp Stadium from 20m out. worked on during the week, last night. They should have scored stuff that we really encourage The crowd of 17,322 was again through Bobo and in our playing style. left incensed Sydney’s , who within “We’re going to continue wasn’t sent off seconds of each other that, we just need to make sure in the 77th minute after he pounced on stray passes at we can as quickly as possible was shown what appeared to the back from to translate that into victories.” be his second yellow card for go one-on-one with goal- Okon played in two F3 bringing down striker Jamie keeper . Derbies during his stint with Maclaren, who was surging Neither found the target, the Jets in the 2006-07 season, on a counter attack. and minutes later, the Roar and was actually sent off in his However, referee Alan made them pay by squaring first clash with the Mariners. Milliner didn’t actually book the ledger, completely He admits the fixture has Grant for his first challenge against the run of play. lost some of the spice that once on in the ’s 40th min- made it a highlight of the A- 59th minute, even though he ute cross landed perfectly League calendar, but a new brought out his card after for Kristensen, who used the initiative allowing members of whistling for the foul. outside of his foot to curl the both clubs free entry to the It was the flashpoint of an ball past the outstretched match could change that. often niggly encounter be- glove of and “Hopefully we can get that tween the Sky Blues and the into the back of the net. feeling back again,” he said. Roar, who played up Sydney continued to push Bookmakers have the Jets as Queensland’s traditional but couldn’t get past Theo, favourites, despite skipper sporting rivalry with NSW who produced strong saves suffering an by wearing maroon jerseys to deny a Brandon O’Neill ankle injury to further deplete instead of their usual free kick and a close-range Newcastle’s defence. His injury orange. attempt from Milos Ninkov- prompted the recruitment of But they didn’t exactly in- ic, before bravely shutting former A-League veteran Iain Brisbane Roar’s and Sydney FC rival Matthew Simon engage in an aerial battle during spire a State of Origin-level out substitute Bernie Ibini in Fyfe on a short-term deal. last night’s heavyweight A-League clash at Suncorp Stadium Picture: BRADLEY KANARIS performance, as the hosts the dying seconds. Title, award in Ko’s reach Garcia, Molinari take lead

LYDIA Ko shot a tournament-re- the season finale. Ryann O’Toole SERGIO Garcia (pictured) and his second shot into the water. cord 10-under 62 yesterday to take a (67) and So Yeon Ryu (68) were tied Francesco Molinari share a one- Fellow Englishman Tyrrell Hat- three-stroke lead in the CME Group for second, and Sei Young Kim (68) stroke lead halfway through the ton (66), Austria’s Bernd Wiesberger Tour Championship, putting the and Beatriz Recari (68) followed at World Tour Championship in (67), South African Charl Schwartzel top-ranked New Zealander in pos- eight under. after shooting 5-under-par (67) and Dutchman Joost Luiten (69) ition to sweep the season points title Ko needs a victory to top Ariya 67s during the second round. were tied for fourth at 7 under in the and player of the year award. Jutanugarn in the player of the year They each made six birdies and a season-ending championship of the The 2014 winner at Tiburon Golf race. The points in the CME Globe solitary bogey, and moved to 9- European Tour. Club in Florida, Ko (pictured) bird- standings were reset for the finale, so under 135 totals, one better than Garcia looked in superb touch ied four of the first six holes and had Ko, Jutanugarn and Brooke Hender- overnight leader Lee Westwood. and, except for mistakes on the 12th seven birdies and a bogey on the son all control their destinies when it Westwood carded a 70, dropping and 13th holes, the latter resulting in back nine to get to 12-under 132 in comes to the $1 million bonus. a shot on the final hole after hitting his only bogey, seemed in control.

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