Hockeyroos lose in penalty shootout

The young Hockeyroos had to bravely settle for silver at the elite Champions Trophy
tournament after going down 4-3 in a nail biting penalty shootout to Argentina on
Sunday.
Despite their heroics and claiming Australia's first medal at the event since 2005,
the Hockeyroos will not contest the Champions Trophy for the first time in history,
after being relegated from tournament.
In a qualification farce, fifth and sixth place getters China and England stay up
while the Hockeyroos were rubbed out of 2010's event in Nottingham, as England are
immune from relegation as hosts.
As England were exempt, relegation was decided on Olympic rankings, where Australia
sits a lowly fifth, one spot ahead of England, who were beaten 7-0 by China in
Sunday's playoff.
Hockeyroos captain Madonna Blyth unsurprisingly was bitterly upset.
"It's disappointing that you can come second and lose in a penalty shootout and all
of a sudden you're not in the next year's Champions Trophy," the 23-year-old Blyth,
who was named player of the tournament, told AAP.
"But they are the rules and I think after this they'll have a bit of a look at them,
because a team that can come fifth can go through but a team that can come second
can't."
"We're happy with what we did ... those kind of things can go either way, you
prepare as best you can and on the day it can vary, it's disappointing to lose in a
penalty shootout but you've got to win one way or the other."
Hockeyroos coach Frank Murray said he hoped the sport's governing body (FIH) might
back pedal from the decision to rub out Australia and instead include a seventh side
in the 2010 tournament.
"We'll pick our heads up and keep going," Murray said.
"... You can't really change the rule but maybe there's an option for them to have a
seventh team."
Asked if it would consider admitting Australia as a seventh team next year, an FIH
spokesman told AAP: "No way, but this situation is something that we'll have to look
at."
The Hockeyroos, fielding seven tournament debutantes, performed well beyond
expectation as they matched it with the top hockey nations during the event,
claiming the prized scalp of Beijing gold medallists the Netherlands, who finished
third after beating Germany 5-2.
Argentina superstar Luciana Aymar hit home the winning penalty to wrap up the win
after Hockeyroos Fiona Boyce and Nicole Arrold missed their shots.
Australia keeper Toni Cronk saved one of the Argentine's penalty strokes, while
Hockeyroos Casey Eastham, Blyth and Emily Hurtz scored after the match was locked at
0-0 following 15 minutes of extra time.
Kate Hollywood had the best chance to score for the home team in the 73rd minute but
her off balanced shot lacked gas as Argentina keeper Belen Succi made the save.