Kookaburras Bounce Back Against Germany
Published Sun 10 Feb 2019
The Kookaburras have secured their first win of the FIH Pro League, defeating Germany 4-2 in front of a bumper crowd in Hobart on Sunday.
Jacob Anderson was the standout all day long, nailing two first-half goals and being awarded Player of the Match.
Led by Tasmanian Eddie Ockenden, Australia was able to break away from Germany after a 2-2 first half, finding two much-needed goals through Tom Wickham and Dylan Wotherspoon.
The victory pushes Australia to fourth in the FIH Pro League standings where they sit behind Belgium, Netherlands and Great Britain whom they host in Perth next week.
Kookaburras coach Colin Batch said: “We faced two good sides last week, so we needed to improve and we prepared well. I’m really pleased with the win."
Germany's best were goal scorers Florian Fuchs and Lukas Windfeder and goalkeeper Tobias Walter, despite allowing four goals he played valiantly facing 14 Australian shot attempts.
Fuchs opened the scoring in the fifth minute of the match, deflecting a diagonal ball from Christopher Ruhr into the backboard.
Australia responded through Anderson in the 12th minute finding some open space off the assist from debutante Jack Hayes.
Anderson struck the hearts of the Germans again, scoring in the 21st minute of the match. A Jake Harvie shot was deflected by Walter out to Anderson in the attacking circle and he sent it flying into the backboard.
Windfeder tied things up with a penalty corner rocket just one minute later.
Kookaburras fans didn't have to wait long in the second half to see another goal, this time Wickham was able to deflect an attacking play from Hobart local Jack Welch into the net.
Australia sealed the victory in the 48th minute when a Blake Govers penalty corner found Wotherspoon on the back post for a deflection goal.
Australia 4 (Anderson 12', 21', Wickham 36', Wotherspoon 48')
Germany 2 (Fuchs 5', Windfeder 22')