Hockey World Cup 2018, Australia vs Ireland: 5 Talking Points

#1 Tough road ahead for Australia

Australia cannot sit back and relax despite the win

Despite the win, Australia cannot sit back and relax. Their very next match is against arch-rivals England, who are undoubtedly seething in fury after their humiliating match against China, which ended in a historic draw for the latter.

The way Australia struggled throughout the match, despite the status of Ireland being well known, tells volumes about the unpredictability of turf hockey, where nothing can be predicted until the last second.

To make matters worse, their final match is with China and if they do not act quickly against England, they might face a drubbing against China, given that their coach is the same South Korean Kim Ryul, who propelled his team to a shock silver medal at the Sydney Olympics.

Should that happen, Australia will face the humiliation of being relegated to the crossovers for the first time since 1978, instead of a direct ticket to the knockouts.

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