‘Heavens open’ as Hockeyroos set up China quarter-final

A final-minute goal from the heavens has helped the Hockeyroos top their pool and set up a quarter-final clash with a Chinese side powered by Australian hockey royalty.

Needing a two-goal win against Spain to leapfrog Argentina – and importantly avoid European dangers Belgium or Germany in a final-eight knockout – Australia started brilliantly as they laid the foundations for a 3-1 win on Saturday.

Mariah Williams beat two Spanish defenders with a wicked left-to-right aerial drag, then found Arnott’s stick with a pinpoint cross as Australia led after just 92 seconds.

It was Arnott’s third goal of the campaign, the striker delivering after coming from the clouds to win an Olympic berth barely a year after his Test debut.

Spain tightened up though and had the better of the second quarter. Brilliant Australian goalkeeper Jocelyn Bartram made back-to-back saves on penalty corners and then staved off a one-on-one opportunity.

Eventually they broke through when Lola Reira converted her penalty stroke late in the third term.

The Hockeyroos finished stronger though, Stephanie Kershaw continuing her fine tournament with a deflection from a penalty corner with five minutes to go.

Spain then replaced their goalkeeper with a field player inside the final two minutes as they rolled the dice to find an equalizer.

It backfired though, with the Hockeyroos turning them over and captain Kaitlin Nobbs slapping home the winner in the final minute.

It followed a 3-3 draw against Argentina and three other wins from pool action, top spot in the pool meaning they will avoid the imperious Netherlands until the gold medal game.

“I feel like the heavens opened from above when Spain took off their keeper,” Williams said.

“We had that chance for Kaitlin to record that interception with all she had, and then she ran through and slapped it into the net.

“It was just like it was meant to be.”

The Hockeyroos tread a similar path in Tokyo before a shock 1-0 loss to India in the quarter-final.

China (1-3) have struggled in a tough pool in Paris but had the better of Australia in a recent series and have improved immensely under coach and two-time Hockeyroos Games champion Alyson Annan.

In another neat twist, Annan has brought in former Hockeyroos mentor Ric Charlesworth, who coached Australia’s women to two Olympic titles.

“It’s something that we definitely have worked on … our mindset and going into the quarter-final here, that we don’t take the foot off the pedal,” Williams said.

“We know we’ve finished on top, and we know that we’re playing a team that hasn’t won as many games, but they are just as good as us.”

Australia won three golds in four Olympics, but have not podiumed since the third of those in Sydney, 24 years ago.

China are still to play France in their final pool game but would need to lose by 13 goals for the hosts to slide out of fourth place.

Quarter-finals will be played on Monday at Yves-du-Manoir Stadium.