The Black Sticks Men will exit the Paris Olympics without a victory after losing their final group match.
Despite an abundance of possession and penalty corners, New Zealand could not break through in the second half, falling 2-1 to previously winless Ireland to conclude Group B play at Stade Olympique on Friday (Saturday NZ Time).
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In the team's 14th Olympics appearance, it was the first time the Black Sticks Men failed to record a win, while it was the second straight Olympics they did not advance out of the group stage. They have not finished higher than fourth in their group since 2004.
Three of their losses - 3-2 to India, 2-1 to Belgium and 2-1 to Ireland - came by one goal, while another, a 2-0 loss to Argentina, was a one-goal game until an empty-cage strike with seconds remaining.
New Zealand had one of the worst penalty corner conversion rates, scoring two goals from 40 chances, and scored just four goals in five matches, including one in their final three.
And it was not without chances against Ireland, a match the team will view as the one that got away.
New Zealand opened the scoring through Joe Morrison after just five minutes and things looked promising for the men in white. But Ireland struck back in the 13th minute and it remained 1-1 at halftime.
Immediately after the resumption, Ireland found space behind the New Zealand defence and went ahead 2-1, and no matter how hard they attacked, the New Zealanders could not find a way through the green wall of Ireland's defence.
New Zealand had 15 penalty corners, but neither Sam Lane nor Nic Woods could turn them into goals. Ireland had no penalty corners. Even more telling, New Zealand had 25 shots at goal and scored once. Ireland had just six shots at goal and scored twice.
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