Kookaburras wary but confident heading into Spain Quarter Final
Published Tue 24 Jan 2023
The Kookaburras’ World Cup campaign continues tonight when Australia’s world number one ranked men’s hockey team take on Spain in the quarter finals in Bhubaneswar at 10pm AEDT.
Having topped their pool, the Kookaburras enter the knockout stage high on confidence but wary of a Spain team that survived a nail biting shootout to get past Malaysia in the knockout crossover match.
In assessing his team’s performances in the pool stage, Head Coach Colin Batch was pleased with the Kookaburras’ attacking potency but says the emphasis is now on playing with more consistency heading into the business end of the tournament.
“The three matches we played in the pool stage weren’t perfect but it’s pleasing to be back in Bhubaneswar…we have had two good training sessions here to prepare for the quarter final,” said Batch.
“Our three matches so far were a little bit inconsistent. We can’t complain about the number of goals we scored. If we see how other teams are performing they have been a bit up and down as well, so we want that consistency happening from now on.”
Batch was a keen onlooker as he watched Spain and Malaysia go to a shootout. The Kookaburras played three internationals against Spain in the lead up to last year’s Commonwealth Games.
The last time they met at a major tournament was in the group stage of the Tokyo Olympics, the match finishing 1-1.
“We’ll be wary of Spain but not scared…we’ve got a lot of confidence and belief that we can perform well,” said Batch.
“Sometimes it is an advantage sitting back and watching other teams, but it is about our performance and having our mental and physical energy right.”
“We have been through knockout matches a number of times and haven’t always handled a quarter final as well as what we might.
“Our quarter final against the Netherlands in Tokyo was really intense and we’re expecting a similar type of match against Spain.
“We’ve just got to wear them down, not be impatient and bring our intensity to the game.”
With the stakes rising, Batch says the Kookaburras are ready to go up another gear.
“It takes a while to get to the level and sometimes when you play at your best at the start of a tournament and you’re not working on the small detail, it might not happen in the critical knockout matches,” said Batch.
“We’re still building, we think we’ve still got a lot to learn and that’s where we are at the moment.”
“This is a World Cup and we shouldn’t be frightened of anything. We’ve got great belief in the group and a lot to prove.
“Australia have won the World Cup three times and we want to add to that.”
Upcoming Match Details
Quarter Final - Kookaburras v Spain
Tuesday 24 January 2023 (4.30pm local time, 10.00pm AEDT)
Kalinga Stadium, Bhubaneswar
Every match of the FIH Men’s World Cup 2023 is broadcast LIVE on FOX Sports and Kayo. There will also be LIVE updates on the Kookaburras Twitter account.
More information on the tournament can be found on the FIH Hockey Men’s World Cup 2023 website.
