New Zealand hockey player Stacey Michelsen, center, watches the ball in the first half at the preliminaries of the women’s hockey competition between Australia and New Zealand in the 2012 Summer Olympics, Sunday in London. (AP Photo/Bullit Marquez)
LONDON — Cathryn Finlayson scored in the third minute Sunday to give New Zealand a 1-0 victory over old rival Australia in the opening Olympic women’s hockey match at the Riverside Stadium.
Australia is a three-time Olympic champion, but its last gold medal performance was at home during the 2000 Sydney Olympics. New Zealand, meanwhile, is improving after failing to win a single match at the 2008 Beijing Games.
New Zealand had the ball in the Australian net in just the second minute, but the umpire had already blown for a short corner for an earlier offense. However, from the corner, Finlayson hammered in the rebound to make it 1-0.
Group B also features one of the tournament favorites, Argentina, along with Germany, South Africa and the United States.