In the Olympic tournament’s opening encounter, the fifth-ranked Japanese women defeated 8th-ranked New Zealand for the start of their campaign, protecting their 2-1 halftime lead from two early goals against a Blacksticks team that played well in patches but could not score today, despite a final balance of 10 shots on goal compared to Japan’s only six.

New Zealand had the better start, looking likely to score, but their plans were derailed in the early stages by their opponents when Sakae Morimoto scooped the ball past goalkeeper Beth Jurgeleit off a brilliant Kaori Chiba pass to give Japan the lead against the run of play.

Interestingly, Sakae Morimoto was also the player to score Japan’s first goal at the 2004 Olympics in Athens.

Looking shellshocked by the sudden turn of the tide, the Blacksticks took another blow little later, giving away a penalty corner that Japan made good use of. A superb variation saw a hit towards the left side of the goal that Toshie Tsukui dived in on, deflecting the ball up and over Jurgeleit with incredible accuracy.

Japan looked energetic and resourceful against a struggling New Zealand side in this phase of the match, but could not extend their lead. The Kiwis on the other hand forced their way back into the match with a penalty corner late in the first half, as Jaimee Claxton deflected a hit from Lizzie Igasan. The teams thus went into the break with Japan in the lead.

After the re-start oft he match, New Zealand employed a high press in their attempt to level the scores, but it was still Japan that looked more likely to score for the bigger part of the second 35 minutes. New Zealand kept increasing the pressure but found it difficult to create danger until very late in the game.

The stadium erupted in cheers seven minutes from the end when a ball hit the backboard in the Japanese goal but no Blacksticks player had touched the long hit into the circle, and it was no goal. New Zealand went on to attacking frantically in this end phase of the match and they were now able to create a number of opportunities, but to no avail.

With the minutes ticking down mercilessly, they were incapable of stopping the points drifting away from them, and the goalless second half turned the 2-1 halftime score into the final one. Japan celebrate a terrific start into the event, while their opponents left the field with faces spelling utter disappointment.