Hock: Kookas slump to 3-2 semi-final loss to Spain = 2

AAP General News (Australia)
08-22-2008
Hock: Kookas slump to 3-2 semi-final loss to Spain = 2

"That's the disappointing thing, we were up 2-0 and threw it away," Kookaburras superstar
Jamie Dwyer said.

"I don't think we played particularly well tonight.

"I don't know what to put it down to, to tell you the truth. Our basics were poor tonight,
we didn't get many corners, our awareness wasn't very good - I don't know what happened."

Dwyer said the challenge was to lift for the bronze medal match against the side they
downed in extra-time in Athens to break their Olympic gold medal duck - Holland.

"We have to pick ourselves up pretty quickly. This is disappointing but we have to
move forward," Dwyer said.

Australia appeared to have the wood on Spain leading into the semi-final match.

They had thrashed the Spaniards 4-1 in the recent Champions Trophy final.

And they had thumped them 6-3 in Athens' semi-final on the way to clinching an historic gold.

In all, the Kookaburras had lost only five of 31 matches to them since 2000 before tonight.

Kookaburras coach Barry Dancer will retire after the bronze medal showdown after almost
eight years with the reins.

"To go away with nothing would be gut wrenching," he said.

"It's gut wrenching enough to lose tonight. We can't lose the next opportunity."

Australian captain Bevan George also confirmed he would hang up his boots after Saturday's
bronze medal decider.

The Kookaburras' lead-up to tonight's clash was disrupted by the withdrawal of in-form
striker Grant Schubert with a knee injury.

AAP lc/tb

KEYWORD: OLY08 HOCM AUST N/L 2 BEIJING (REOPENS)

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