A BIG DAY FOR ARGENTINA:For such a big country (population just short of 50 million), Argentina has a distinctly ordinary Olympic history. They went 52 years without a gold before the men's basketball and soccer teams won in Athens in 2004. And although they followed up with gold in men's soccer and track cycling in Beijing, they come to London this time around with really only one outstanding hope: women's hockey.

So it came as a massive shock when they lost to the USA on Tuesday. When the USA beat them in the Pan-Am Games last year, it was hailed as the biggest result in the history of American hockey and assumed to be a one-off.

Argentina were unbackable favourites on Tuesday, after the opening round saw them destroy South Africa 7-1 and saw the US lose 2-1 to Germany. It has left Group B delicately poised, with New Zealand out in front on six points and four others – Argentina, Germany, USA and Australia – on three.

Since only the top two teams go through to the semi-final, Argentina can’t lose tonight against New Zealand. They have the best player in the world in Luciana Aymar, seven times world player of the year and at her final Olympics. They need to get back on track tonight.

Malachy Clerkin