It may seem unusual to be so critical after a one-goal loss, but the Diamonds are not a team for whom second place is acceptable
“I don’t think you have a knee jerk reaction automatically on a one-goal loss,” said Diamonds’ coach Lisa Alexander after her charges were again denied by the smallest of margins in the final of a major tournament. It is the first time since 2007 that Australia have held neither the World Cup nor Commonwealth Games title and while a one-goal loss may not seem hugely concerning to the world No 1-ranked team, context makes all the difference.
Just like last year on the Gold Coast, the Diamonds sailed through the early stages of this tournament with ease, winning their first five games by an average margin of 58 goals. Commentators praised their ability to learn from their past failure by allowing more players to run out full games, but the lack of a settled combination stuck out like a sore thumb.
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