Australia have leveled the three-Test SPAR Challenge series to nullify South Africa's opening encounter win, when Hope Munro scored the second Test's sole goal at the Tshwane University of Technology on Friday evening, with the final test to be played in Randburg on Saturday afternoon.

South Africa strove mightily but went down 1-0 to Australia to leave the series perfectly poised, with the home side having won the first test 2-1 in Randburg on Wednesday night.

The impressive TUT stadium was forced to withstand torrents of rain throughout the match and it was to the credit of both sides that they managed to produce a fast-paced, exciting Test match.

The sides were eventually separated by a defensive mix-up in the 24th minute that saw the Hockeyroos attack at pace and the outstandingly skilful Hope Munro, a mother of two, slashed a magnificent goal into the top right-hand corner of the net past a helpless Mariette Rix.

The match reinforced the cliché of a game of two halves as Australia dominated the opening half while Spar SA controlled the second stanza both territorially and in terms of possession.

SA goalkeeper Rix made a superb one-on-one save two minutes before the lone goal of the match, following a superb combination between Munro and Madonna Blythe.

Although the Aussies were on top for the initial 35 minutes, SA managed to get in a couple of meaningful shots at goal through striker Henna du Buisson and Kate Hector from the single home penalty corner.

The Aussies won two first-half penalty corners in the last minutes before the changeover, but first-wave defender Fiona Butler did well to deflect captain Emily Halliday's effort away from danger.

"We realised in the second half that we needed to do what Marsha had been doing and that's when we started putting some pressure on them in the middle," said SA coach Jenny King, "I was pleased with our second half effort, but we didn't create enough chances."

The Hockeyroos counter-attacked extremely quickly and effectively after earning a turnover, and the ability of their strikers to run laterally to latch on to accurate passes was a feature of the first half.

SA turned things round after the break by closing down the Australian midfield's space and being more assertive going into the tackle, and the effect on the momentum of the game was marked.

Captain Marsha Marescia was at the forefront of the turnaround along with her deputy Kate Hector. As a result the midfield battle was won and SA could well have drawn level and even taken the series, as Murray pointed out, but goal-scoring opportunities were difficult to come by as the visitor's defense bore down.

Stand-in captain Halliday was named player of the match by the adjudicator, former SA captain Lindsey Wright (nee Carlisle), in a performance that also drew glowing praise from Aussie coach Frank Murray.

"We intend to go out with even more determination and intensity, so that we can leave the country on a good note," said the skipper, "South Africa have improved since we last played them a few months ago in Beijing, but I'm confident of our chances."

Still, the Hockeyroos won the PC count 4-2 and deserved the final result, which makes the third Test at 3.30 pm Saturday in Randburg a tantalising prospect.

As SA vice-captain Kate Hector pointed out at the press conference, the Spar SA side drew much confidence from their second-half effort, while Aussie skipper Halliday was equally upbeat about her team's chances come 3.30 pm Saturday. 

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