A Lucas Rossi hat-trick inside 10 minutes plus goals from Joaquin Menini and Guido Barreiros gave Argentina a 5-2 lead at half-time in the fourth Test at Queensmead in Durban Monday and set up a 7-3 victory.
Argentina now lead the series 4-0 with the fifth and final Test
at 6.30 pm Tuesday on the Pietermaritzburg campus of the University of
KwaZulu-Natal.
Argentina added goals from Matias Rey and Matias Paredes
in the second half while SA scored at the end via the stick of Craig
Haley.
Lucas Rossi was named man of the match while SA midfielder
South Africa had led 2-0 after 11 minutes through Matt Botha, from the
first penalty corner of the match, and a fine field goal by Miguel da
Graca.
“We started well but maybe we went to sleep after that and let
them back into the game,” said SA head coach Charlie Pereira.
“Their
runners are very quick and skilful and they capitalised. We weren’t up to
scratch and as time goes by in the series, with such a new group we have, it’s
beginning to tell. We haven’t had enough time to train together with this
group.”
Pereira said in the first three Tests SA were in the game but
admitted that the South Africans were outplayed Monday. “Three
very soft goals changes a 4-3 score where you are still in with a chance to a
7-3 defeat.”
SA captain Rhett Halkett said it was in one-on-one
situations that SA were let down. “Individual errors gifted three goals,” said
the SA defender. “In the previous three Tests our one-on-one defence was very
good but at this level individual errors get punished.
“Tuesday evening
in Pietermaritzburg we need to do the basics better.”
Both sides had
ample opportunities to add to the 10-goal tally in the game with Taine Paton and
Tim Drummond hitting the post, the latter finished off by Haley. Shots also went
high and just wide, while Paredes ironically botched probably the easiest chance
of the match.
Argentina won the penalty corner count but it was the
prevalence of goals inside the penalty spot area that indicated the quality of
the attacks by both sides.
Yet it was the difficulty the SA defence and
midfield had in containing the fast, skilful Argentine forwards and playmakers
that probably made the biggest difference. Turnover ball cost SA once again.