Australia and China played another thrilling draw in the FIH Hockey Pro League 2022/23 as the Hockeyroos mounted a remarkable comeback from 2-0 down to level up in the final 10 minutes of the game. The game headed into a shoot-out for the second time within a week between the two teams and the Hockeyroos prevailed once again, winning the bonus point and taking their tally to an impressive 7 points from 3 games.

Australia vs China 2-2 (SO: 3-2)

China started the game brilliantly, pressing Australia high in their own half and capitalised by winning two penalty corners inside 5 minutes. The first by Gu Bingfeng was saved spectacularly by Jocelyn Bartam who got her right boot on to the ball that was headed into the bottom corner. The second was taken by Jiaqi Zhong and she went to Bartram’s right as well, but Bartram was up to the task again deflecting the ball out with her stick. Australia’s first foray into the Chinese circle came in the 8th minute as Kershaw burst in from the left showcasing her fantastic 3d skills, but she could not find any space to get a shot away. China continued to press high and created two more scoring opportunities. The first went off target from Zou, while Bartram made an easy save from the second by Chencheng.

The first big chance of the second quarter also fell China’s way as a turnover in the Australian 25 allowed Meiyu Liang go one on one with Bartram from the right. Meiyu tried to lift the ball over Bartram instead of trying to go around but Bartram saw it coming and jumped to swat the attempt away. The pattern held through the rest of the quarter as China kept possession high in the Australian half while Australia looked to break on the counter. Neither team managed to score however as the teams headed to the break level at 0-0.

China had a huge chance early in the second half as Meirong Zou’s pass sent Zhang clean through on the goal with just Bartram to beat. Zhang attempted to deflect the ball and lift it over an onrushing Bartram, which she succeeded in doing, but the lifted ball missed the target by a whisker to the right. Two minutes later China were ahead as Zhong Jiaqui broke in from the right and finally managed to beat Bartram on the near post lifting the ball over her shoulder while the defence expected her to cut back and look for a teammate given the acute angle. Australia had a big chance in the final minutes of the third quarter as Rosie Malone dribbled through 3 defenders and sent in a cross that nearly fell to Brooke Perris, but Yu Zhou got in the way before Perris could pounce and deflected the ball away from her.

Australia were desperate for an equaliser but China capitalised by breaking out on a quick counter. A shot from the left by Zhou got stuck under Bartram’s boot and China won a penalty corner. China had targeted the right side of Bartram from the flicks in the first half, but this time Gu Bingfeng went to her left and the powerful low flick was beyond her reach and couldn’t be stopped by the post defender, doubling China’s lead. Australia crucially got the next goal of the game as a cross by Perris was deflected by Chinese keeper Ye jiao right into the path of Jane Claxton who buried her shot into the goal to give Australia a way back into the game. Australia were back level with 3 minutes left in the game as a shot by Stewart was saved but fell to Perris who dived in to deflect the ball into the goal. With 5 seconds on the clock China had a shot on target that nearly won them the game but Penny Squibb stopped it right on the line to deny them as the teams headed into a shoot-out for the second consecutive time.

Australia once again edged China in the shoot-outs, as Jocelyn Bartram once again made a big save on the 5th Chinese attempt giving Amy Lawton the opportunity to score and win the bonus point for the Hockeyroos and she did it with great composure to make it 7 points from possible 9 for Australia, so far in their Pro League campaign.

Jane Claxton was awarded player of the match and said: "It shows that we believe in ourselves and we trust the process to be able to overturn a 2-goal deficit late in the game and then win in the shoot-out. One more game to go at home and we are looking forward to keeping our unbeaten run going."

FIH Pro League – 13 February 2023

Sydney Olympic Hockey Center, Australia (AUS)

Result: Women’s Match 15

Australia 2-2 China (SO: 3-2)

Player of the Game: Jane Claxton (AUS)

Umpires: Kelly Hudson (NZL), Kristy Robertson (AUS), Aleisha Neumann (AUS-video)