The Australian Hockeyroos put up a terrific fight in the Samsung Champions Trophy at Sydney Olympic Park on 19 July, claiming the silver medal after losing to Argentina 4–3 in a nail-biting penalty shootout.

Sunday’s game was a brilliant performance from the national women’s hockey team, who demonstrated poise, skill, and ability under pressure, in a titanic battle with Argentina.

The Hockeyroos’s defence was strong in the first half of the final, forcing several errors and turnovers from the Argentine side. Argentina’s two penalty shots from the corner did not threaten Australia’s defence, and they responded with the game’s first attempt on goal, a close shot that just hit the post.

Argentina lifted in the second half and gained possession, but a shot on goal from four-time hockey player of the year Luciana Aymar was blocked by Australia’s Toni Cronk. The Hockeyroos’s Nicole Arnold had two penalty shots in the 57th minute but still could not crack the Argentine defence.

The score was still nil all in the first half of extra time, with Kate Hollywood’s shot on goal blocked by Argentina’s Maria Belen Succi. The second half continued to be a hard-fought battle with neither side penetrating the attacking zone, and it came down to a penalty shootout which ended the match in a 4–3 win to Argentina.

Australian captain Madonna Blyth was disappointed by the result but said just making the final of the Champions Trophy was a huge boost for the team, especially for the young players.

The Hockeyroos’s second place in the Champions Trophy (and fifth place at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games) mean that they do not automatically qualify for the World Cup in Rosario, Argentina. Their next shot at World Cup qualification is against New Zealand and Samoa in the Oceania Cup, held 25–9 August in Invercargill, New Zealand.