GB’s title defence gets off to a stuttering start

LAST time we saw Britain’s women hockey stars on the Olympic stage they were taking gold, the 10 o’clock news was delayed and nine million people tuned in. This was a little different in style and outcome from that dramatic shootout win over the Dutch, as their title defence started with a 2-1 defeat by a clinical Germany. Much has changed since that remarkable triumph in Rio, with a change of management, retirements, and the effects of an emotional hangover all having an impact. But all is not lost after one defeat for this developing team because four of the six countries in Pool A advance to the knockout stages and Mark Hager’s British side played well for large chunks of the match. They led 1-0 early on when Germany failed to clear a penalty corner and Wales international Sarah Jones was on hand to tap home the rebound from close range. But a penalty by viktoria Huse and a winner from Charlotte Stapenhorst settled it. Captain Hollie Pearne-Webb, who scored the winning penalty five years ago, said: ‘We’re going to look at the stats and I think they will show we gave a really dominant performance. Which in one way is really disappointing because on the balance of play I think the three points should have been ours. ‘The difference was in both circles. It was a danger that with a very new and inexperienced group that we could have been a bit nervous. But I don’t think we started like that. ‘We were really confident and had them on the back foot.’