Sixsmith signs off with defeat

Sixsmith ended her career with a defeat

Great Britain 0-2 Germany

Jane Sixsmith failed to end her international career with a victory as Great Britain went down 2-0 against Germany at the State Hockey Centre in Sydney, a defeat which condemned them to eighth place in the tournament.

Sixsmith, who is England's most capped striker, finished the competition goalless even though she was easily Britain's most threatening player.

Britain, who only created one shot on goal in the first half, and failed to unhinge a disciplined German defence after the restart.

Britain went behind in the 21st minute when Natascha Keller picked up a loose ball in the 25, rounded defenders Mel Clewlow and Pauline Stott, broke into the circle and beat Hilary Rose with a stunning reverse stick shot.

Defence

Minutes into the second half, Clewlow's stinging drive at Britain's second penalty corner was steered away off the line by Simone Graesser but it was a rare British attack.

In the 52nd minute, Keller broke through again and, after weaving her way through the defence and rounding Rose, her strike was illegally blocked by Fiona Greenham. Britta Becker put away her third penalty stroke of the tournament to put Germany 2-0 ahead.

The girls are waiting for the Australians - I can promise you it will not be as one-sided as everyone thinks

  Argentine coach Sergio Vigil

Britain pushed forward to try and salvage something from the match and although Clewlow hit the post with another thunderous corner shot nine minutes from time they were guilty of sloppy passing and ineffective shooting when it mattered.

Meanwhile, Argentina was assured its first ever Olympic hockey medal when its women's team thrashed New Zealand 7-1 on Wednesday to qualify for the final against hosts Australia.

Two former champions, Spain and the Netherlands, will fight for the bronze in a replay of Wednesday's super league match which the Dutch won 2-1.

Australia, the reigning champions and hot favourites, scored an equally devastating 5-1 win over China to warn their unfancied rivals of what lay ahead in Friday's final.

Nikki Hudson scored two goals to become the tournament's leading scorer with six, while Julie Towers, Jenny Morris and Claire Mitchell-Taverner contributed one each for Australia.

Argentina were the only team in the six-nation super league not to carry forward any points from the preliminary round.

They finished with nine, winning all three second round matches against the Netherlands, China and New Zealand.

New Zealand, who needed a win to qualify for the final, ended on four points.

Argentina had qualified for their first Olympics in 12 years by defeating the United States in the final of the Pan-American Games in Canada last year.

"This is a dream for us," Argentine coach Sergio Vigil said.

"The girls are waiting for the Australians. I can promise you it will not be as one-sided as everyone thinks."

Australia had beaten Argentina 3-1 in the preliminary league, but coach Ric Charlesworth was not taking another victory for granted.

"They will go out there fighting, we don't want to be caught napping," he said.