A new-look Kookaburras have begun their FIH Pro League title defence with a frustrating loss 2-1 to Spain.
Mark Hager was forced to accept defeat in his first game as Kookaburras coach after a dominant display by the Spanish at Sydney Olympic Park on Wednesday.
It was Australia’s first international fixture since their shock Paris Games quarter-final exit and featured only nine players from the 22-man squad that played in August last year.
Former Kookaburras captain Hager, succeeding long-time coach Colin Batch, had named eight debutants in his side for the Sydney Pro League stage.
Spain, looking to return to winning ways after losing 4-2 to the Netherlands to open the stage, took advantage of Australia’s inexperience.
Max Caldas’s men were clearly the more daring side and fell just short of finding the opener in the first term.
It was Pau Petchame who broke the deadlock in the second quarter and caught out debuting duo Tom Harvie – younger brother of captain Jake – and goalkeeper Mitchell Nicholson to draw first blood.
Fellow debutant Ben White had crumbled under hot pressure from the Spanish and gave away the ball in Australia’s defensive half, starting the chain to Petchame.
Spain conceded a penalty corner less than two minutes later, but the Kookaburras fluffed the chance to level the scores.
Hager threw around the magnets for the second half and substituted Nicholson for another debutant, Jed Snowden.
Snowden kept his mettle to see off a penalty corner but Spain were relentless and Nicolas Alvarez eventually found the back of the net in the final quarter.
Australia claimed there was an obstruction within the penalty circle, but the goal stood after a video referral.
Ky Willott then found a consolation goal for the Kookaburras.
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