WOMEN'S HOCKEY/ Ireland ... 1; United States ... 2: The sense of déjà vu in Perth yesterday was overwhelming. There is a time warp quality to Ireland's story at international level, one "what might have been" tale largely indistinguishable from another. Mary Hannigan reports from Perth

Again they played well, again they should have won, never mind drawn, but they lost - and now, after only two games played, hopes of a respectable ninth-12th finish at this tournament are all but dead.

Bearing in mind that Ireland's next two opponents are Australia and Holland, well, it could be a very long week. A month ago Ireland beat the United States on their own patch in Virginia but yesterday they lost when it really mattered - to a team, on this showing, that looked decidedly average.

The US took the lead against the run of play in the 14th minute, Ireland levelled 10 minutes later and should have gone on to clinch the points - instead they gifted their opponents what proved to be the winner in the 43rd minute and never recovered.

Coach Riet Kuper made two changes from the team that lost to England, Angela Platt replacing the unfortunate Tara Browne in goal and Eimear Cregan coming in for Lynsey McVicker on the left wing, but it was Claire McMahon who made the greatest impact in the opening exchanges, giving US left-back Katie Kauffman a torrid time with a succession of thrilling runs.

There was no end product, though, and when the US scored from a swift counter-attack all Ireland's early good work was undone. Right-back Antoinette Lucas picked out an unmarked Carrie Lingo on the left, on the half-way line, and she advanced before thundering a superb ball across the face of the Irish goal, which a diving Kate Barber met to fire past Platt.

Soon after a timely Daphne Sixsmith interception in the circle prevented a near-certain second US goal but from then until half-time Ireland took control, with Arlene Boyles, Laura Lee and McMahon the driving forces behind their dominance. Their reward came in the 24th minute when, after Kauffman upended Cregan outside the circle, Boyles' strike from the resulting short corner deflected off an American stick past goalkeeper Margaret Storrar.

Between then and half-time Ireland looked, comfortably, the better team, with smart link play and some excellent through balls from Jenny Burke putting McMahon clear on the right on several occasions. There was, however, no second goal to show for their efforts.

The US began the second half much more brightly, with captain Tracey Fuchs only being denied a goal from a short corner by a brave Linda Caulfield block, but, as it proved, they didn't have to work too hard for their winner.

Irish captain Rachael Kohler had a moment that will probably haunt her, when she attempted to play the ball across the face of her own circle, only to hit it straight to Barber. With Platt hopelessly exposed Barber fired high over the goalkeeper's head to give her team the lead.

An excellent run by Burke led to Ireland's second penalty corner of the game but Boyles' shot was saved by Storrar while their third and final corner, in the 65th minute, was easily cleared.

"It was pretty ugly, but we'll take the win," said US coach Tracey Belbin after the game, one that resembled a medium-quality club game in comparison with the preceding 2-2 draw between England and South Africa.

"Absolutely gutted," was Lee's verdict on the result, "this was a team we beat not so long ago and one we felt we could take three points from. Credit to them, they did their homework, but we know we should have done a lot better. You can't blame one player or one incident for the result, we had plenty of time to get back in to it. We can't let the heads drop, though, we have massive games coming up."

"Very disappointed, of course," said Kuper. "We gifted a goal away but that has happened in hockey a million times and will happen a million times again. We should have won today, we know that, and, yes, it makes it very hard for us now, but this team has such spirit - I know they will fight back."

On the evidence of the displays yesterday by South Africa, Japan and Spain things will only get tougher for Ireland at this World Cup. In truth, a place in the 13th-16th place play-offs beckons and that, to be blunt, is where they belong on the evidence of their opening two games.

IRELAND: A Platt, L Caulfield, A Boyles, D Sixsmith, K Maybin, L Lee, J Orbinson, R Kohler (capt), C McMahon, J Burke, E Cregan. Subs: T Browne, K Humphreys, L O'Neill, C O'Brien, L McVicker.

USA: M Storrar, K McCann, K Gannon, T Fuchs (capt), A Lucas, K Kauffman, K Smith, C Tagliente, J Reeve, C Lingo, K Barber. Subs: M Smith, T Jelley, M Meerschwam, T Larson, J Dedman.

Umpires: J Duncan and K Yasueda.

WORLD CUP (at Perth) - Pool B: Japan 0, Holland 2; South Africa 2, England 2; Ireland 1 (A Boyles), USA 2 (K Barber 2); Spain 0, Australia 1. Today - Pool A (local times): New Zealand v Russia, 2.05; Scotland v China, 4 .05; Germany v Korea, 6.05; Argentina v Ukraine, 8.05.