MACAU, Aug 27: World Cup holders Australia kept alive their slim hopes of a record sixth Champions Trophy in Macau Tuesday with a comprehensive win over trans-Tasman rivals New Zealand.

New Zealand went down 3-1 at Macau Stadium in front of just 200 fans despite snatching an early lead through Amanda Christie in a repeat of the bronze medal playoff at last month’s Commonwealth Games won 4-3 by the Aussies.

In Tuesday’s other matches, defending champions Argentina crushed an outclassed England side 4-0 while the Netherlands drew with hosts China 1-1.

Reigning Olympic champions Australia had failed to score in both their earlier games in the elite six-nation event, including a shocking 1-0 defeat at the hands of unfancied China on Sunday.

But they found their scoring touch in time to keep alive their hopes of making Sunday’s final to the relief of coach David Bell.

The Aussies watched in horror as New Zealand opened the scoring after eight minutes when a powerful run down the left wing by Jaimee Provan drew keeper Nina Bonner off her line.

Provan flipped the ball over Bonner leaving Christie the simple task of tapping home into an unguarded net.

The Australians fought back and levelled when Lousie Dobson crashed home an unstoppable shot from a penalty corner.

The hockeroo’s began to dominate as on-pitch temperatures soared to 37 degrees Celsius (99 degrees Fahrenheit).

Captain Katrina Powell seized on a loose ball in the circle and span sharply before striking home past Anne-Marie Irving to give the Australians the lead on the stroke of halftime.

Wendy Alcorn gave them a two-goal cushion 10 minutes into the second half which they never looked liked relinquishing.

The defeat was New Zealand’s 18th in the past three and half years to their arch rivals.

Australia are attempting to rebound from a poor recent run of form that saw the heavy favourites at the Commonwealth Games crash out in the semi-finals and scrape only a bronze medal.

The Australians, who now have four points from three games, will face England and defending champions Argentina in their final two round robin matches.

In Tuesday’s second match, Argentina demolished Commonwealth silver medallists England to remain top of the round robin table with seven points.

Striker Vanina Oneto opened the scoring after just four minutes as the world’s top ranked team threatened to run riot.

A bobbly strike from Cecilia Rognoni in between two magnificent strikes from Luciana Aymar, the second a searing shot from the circle into the top corner, completed the 4-0 rout which could have been worse but for the heroics of England goalkeeper Katy Roberts.

China, fresh of their first ever win over Australia, looked to continue to their giant-killing against the European Champions from Holland who desperately needed a win after drawing their first two matches.

Ageeth Boomgaardt got the Dutch off to a dream start firing in from a penalty corner after 10 minutes.

Last year’s beaten finalists easily contained the Chinese forwards for much of the half till Zhou Wan Feng latched onto a pass from Huang Jum Xia to steer the ball home unmarked just seconds before the half time whistle.

The Dutch pressed forward in the second half leaving gaps at the back as they sought a winner and only a last minute clearance of the line by Chantal de Bruijn prevented them becoming the latest victims of the Chinese team.

Dutch coach Marc Lammers said the draw effectively ended his side’s chances of reaching the final.—AFP