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Hockeyroos into Commonwealth Games final after shootout 'disgrace'

andrew reid
·5-min read
Pictured right, Hockeyroos star Rosie Malone misses her first shot in the penalty shootout against India.
Hockeyroos star Rosie Malone was allowed to take her missed shot again in the penalty shootout because of an error with the shot clock. Pic: Ch7

Hockey fans have been left fuming over a controversial decision that helped Australia's women book a date with England in the final of the Commonwealth Games.

With scores locked 1-1 at full-time in Friday night's semi-final against India, the Hockeyroos won 3-0 in the penalty shootout - but only after a disastrous moment for officials.

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Australia's Rosie Malone stepped up first for the Aussies in the shootout but missed her shot in what appeared to be a hammer blow for the Hockeyroos.

In highly contentious scenes, however, Malone was gifted a second attempt because the eight-second countdown clock on the scoreboard wasn't working.

Malone converted her second attempt to get the Aussies off to the ideal start in what would prove to be a crucial moment.

“That would be a national outrage if that happened to Australia,” commentator Alastair Nichoson said on Channel 7.

“It’s amateur and unfortunate,” former Hockeyroo Georgie Parker added.

Hockeyroos teammates Kaitlin Nobbs and Amy Lawton converted their penalties to help the Aussies seal the win and set up a gold medal showdown against England.

India captain Savita Punia was devastated after the match but showed her class when discussing the controversy.

“Such decisions are tough to take but it’s part of sport and you have to accept it.”

India head coach Janneke Schopman added: “I don’t think even the officials understood what happened… it’s not an excuse but that didn’t help the team.”

The incident left viewers fuming, with officials coming under fire for the embarrassing gaffe.

"When they called the retake, I was thanking the universe for a second chance," Malone said.

"I knew all of India would hate me if I put it in.

"But I was just trying to think about my team and that final and I said to myself 'if I get a second chance at this, I'm not missing it'.

"I felt for India at the time. But all our other girls got our shootouts in so it's not like that one shootout was the be all and end all."

Hockeyroos to play England for gold medal

England secured their spot in the final with 2-0 shootout triumph against New Zealand after a scoreless stalemate.

Sunday's final will be the third time Australia have met England in the gold medal match - the Hockeyroos have won both and have four Commonwealth titles in the six completed editions of the Games.

Seen here, the Hockeyroos celebrate their semi-final win over India at the Commonwealth Games.
The Hockeyroos celebrate their semi-final win over India at the Commonwealth Games. Pic: AAP

In Friday's semi-final, the Australian exacted a semblance of belated revenge on the Indians for knocking them out of last year's Tokyo Olympics at the quarter-final stage.

The Australians suffered an early blow when defender Karri Somerville was forced off seven minutes in when copping a nasty ricochet on her right cheekbone.

But just three minutes later, they struck when Mariah Williams darted along the left flank and launched a cross which was neatly deflected in by Greiner at the far post.

The scores remained 1-0 until, against the flow in the 49th minute, India equalised when Vandana Katariya deflected into the net from close-range - the first goal the Australians had conceded in the Games.

with AAP

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