Lausanne, Switzerland, July 5:
Nerves were fully on display in the fourth day of Women's World Cup action in
Amstelveen and Terrassa. In the opening match, Chile won a war of attrition
with Ireland to record their first ever World Cup win. The next match was a
clash between two teams who couldn't be separated as China and India played out
a high tempo game that only produced two goals but was a fascinating encounter
from start to finish.
If the first two matches were
tense, the third match, between Japan and South Africa was thrilling as the
African team, led by Onathatile Zulu, completed a great escape after going
three-nil down in the first half.
New Zealand went into a 3-1
lead over England and held onto that lead with a defiant display of defending.
And in the final match of the day Australia stunned Belgium with two quick
goals that took the Red Panthers by surprise.
Ireland v Chile (Pool A)
This was a match that both
teams had targeted as a game where points might be available and that awareness
really added to the pressure and urgency that could be felt across the pitch.
The first three quarters were
goalless but full of high-energy running and a lot of attacks on both goals.
Claudia Schuler was the busier of the two goalkeepers but both Schuler and
Ayeisha McFerran pulled off some vitally important saves.
Chile's work was made harder in
the first half with a series of cards – yellow and green – which put the side
under some additional pressure.
Ireland's Head Coach Sean
Dancer will doubtless be frustrated as Ireland won a series of penalty corners
but failed to make any of them count. Chile's number one penalty corner runners
played a vital part in keeping the higher ranked team from scoring.
The breakthrough came three
minutes into the final quarter. Chile won their own penalty corner and Denise
Krimerman Losada made no mistake as she fired the ball into the bottom left
corner of McFerran's goal.
Ireland put Las Diablas under
immense pressure for the final 10 minutes, winning a number of penalty corners
but still failing to find a way past the team in red. A yellow card for Eleana
Tice limited Dancer's option to remove his goalkeeper and Chile held on to
record a very important first win in a World Cup.
Player of the Match was Manuela
Urroz. She said: 'I am so proud of this team, we have worked hard for a number
of years. I am so happy I cannot explain it. I think both teams knew that this
was an important game for the group. But this is a big step for us, to win our
first game at a World Cup.'
Elena Tice of Ireland said: 'We
knew Chile would be a good team. We are bitterly disappointed. We didn't
convert our penalty corners. We struggled with the execution. We have to do
better. Now we have to go out and do better against Germany tomorrow.'
China v India (Pool B)
The second match of the day in
Amstelveen got off to another tense start as India and China went in search of
their first win of the tournament. The first quarter was extremely well
balanced with both sides testing and probing each others' defences but there
was only one shot in the first 15 minutes – with India hitting the target but
finding China's goalkeeper Liu Ping in the way.
India thought they had scored
midway through the second half when Tete Salima pushed the ball over the China
goal-line following a pass from Ktariya Vandana. However, a smart referral by
China saw the goal discounted after it was judged to have hit the striker's
body.
It was China who got the
breakthrough. Zhang Xindan played a lovely pass which split the India defence
and found Zheng Jiali behind the defence. The subsequent shot flew past Savita
to give China the lead in this hugely important encounter.
The second half began with
China on the attack. First Gu Bingfeng sent a penalty corner just over the
cross bar and then Zhang Xiaoxue just missed connecting with a cross that would
have definitely produced a second goal.
That miss would come back to haunt
China when Vandana was able to send a penalty corner rebound flying past Ping.
The goal came at a time when India could have been forgiven for thinking they
were never going to break through the staunch China defence.
With just under four minutes
left, China went a player down as Zheng Jiali recieved a yellow card. Despite
this, China won a penalty corner but Gu's shot was well saved by Savita and the
danger passed.
The final minutes saw China
pepper the India goalmouth with speculative crosses but no-one could get on the
end of anything and both teams settled for their second drawn result of the
tournament.
Player of the Match Katariya
Vandana said: 'We are disappointed because we should have won the match. We
worked hard and hopefully we will win the next match.'
China's Cui Xiuxia said: 'Today
we played and worked hard. We should have won and hopefully we will win the
next one. We need to score more goals but we enjoyed the one that went in. For
our next game, we hope to score from our penalty corners.'
Japan v South Africa (Pool D)
Japan got off to a super start
as they chased their first win of the World Cup in Terrassa. Captain Nagai Yuri
led by example as she was able to poke a rebounded ball past South Africa
Phumelela Mbande in the third minute. It took another six minutes before the
Cherry Blossoms doubled their lead, this time through the quick thinking of
Toriyama Mai, who got in front of her marking defender and lifted the ball over
the keeper.
South Africa were shell-shocked
and for a few minutes there was confusion among the green and gold players.
However, they rallied and began making their own in-roads into the Japanese
circle. The problem for the South African team was that, while Japan were
moving the ball freely from player to player, South Africa were relying on the
pace of individual players and all too often the Japanese were just able to
recover possession with a strong tackle.
In the second half, South
Africa sought to answer Head Coach Giles Bonnet's call for improvements in all
areas of the pitch. Lilian du Plessis was the recipient of a great pass from
her midfield and her shot whistled just wide of Tanaka Akia in the Japan goal.
Seconds later and South Africa had a penalty corner – again it was Du Plessis
shooting but Tanaka was up to the challenge.
Despite South Africa's high
energy re-start, it was Japan who scored a third. Nishikori Emi was able to
slot home a perfectly placed shot to extend the Cherry Blossom's lead.
South Africa hit back with a
typically belligerent goal. Bernadette Costin shot and the ball flew high into
the air from the goalkeeper's pads. Kirsten Paton was on hand to pluck the ball
from mid-air and smash it into the goal.
The goal galvanised South
Africa and suddenly the momentum shifted totally. Onthatile Zulu was causing
chaos in the Japanese defence with her speed and strength and a penalty corner
was her reward. With five minutes left to play, Tarryn Lombard scored from the
top of the circle and suddenly it was game on.
With just over a minute left on
the clock, Tarryn Lombard struck again. Head Coach Giles Bonnet had pulled the
goalkeeper off the pitch. As Lombard picked up a bouncing ball and turned it
into the goal, Bonnet put the keeper back on and South Africa completed the
best comeback this World Cup has seen thus far.
Player of the Match Onthatile
Zulu: 'It was a tough game and we started the second half 2-0 down. We came out
and really fought so hard to get this result.'
England v New Zealand (Pool B)
It was a perfect start for
England and Lily Owsley. The attacking midfielder celebrated her 100th England
cap with a goal in the 4th minute when she was on hand to score from England's
first penalty corner of the match. The ball rebounded twice before Owsley
lifted it into the Blackstick's goal.
For much of the first half
England looked to be dominant but they failed to capitalise on their much
superior possession or circle entries. The team was made to pay in the 29th
minute when a fantastic aerial ball out of defence was picked up by Katie Doar
who made no mistake as she unleashed a reverse stick shot past the England
'keeper Maddie Hinch.
England thought they had scored
when a Grace Balsdon penalty corner flew into the goal. A referral was upheld
by the video umpire Laurine Delforge as the replay showed the shot to be
dangerous.
England's day was made worse
when Katie Doar doubled her personal tally. She ran the ball into the circle
and wrong-footed Hinch with a quickly taken shot to give New Zealand the lead.
With just nine minutes left on
the clock, New Zealand gave themselves a cushion when Tarryn Davey took a high
ball out of the air and hit it into the goal. The initial shot came from a
penalty corner strike from Tyler Lench. Hinch made the save but the defence
couldn't clear the ball and they were made to pay.
England pushed and pushed for a
lifeline. Elena Rayer was driving the team forward from the frontline and the
result was a series of penalty corners. New Zealand, for their part, were
defending as a complete unit. Shots were batted off the line, tackles were
thrown in and still the Blacksticks' line held strong.
In total, England had 14
penalty corners and scored just one goal, something David Ralph will be
concerned about as the team faces its final pool match against China.
The Player of the Match was New
Zealand's Katie Doar.
Belgium v Australia (Pool D)
The final match of the day was
a tough and uncompromising encounter between two teams who both have serious
aspirations in this tournament. As in their first game, Belgium created a
number of penalty corner opportunities but were unable to convert any in the
first half. Penny Squibb was immaculate on the post and was key to Australia
keeping a clean sheet in the first half.
At the other end of the field,
Australia were working to create their own opportunities but they were up
against some super defensive work, particularly by Helene Brasseur, and over
the 30 minutes of the first half, they only had one shot. In that instance, a
great interception from Lien Hillewaert kept Mariah Williams from opening the
scoring just before the half-time break.
The deadlock was broken in some
style in the 39th minute. Belgium were reduced to 10 players when Pauline
Leclef received a green card. First Greta Hayes esaped the close attention of
two defenders and was able to create room to receive a pass and slip it past
Elena Sotgiu to score her first senior international goal.
Things got worse for Belgium a
few seconds later as they momentarily lost their discipline and defensive
structure. The ball was played into the Belgium circle and the first Australian
shot hit the post. Rebecca Greiner was the first to react and she pounced on
the loose ball and struck it home.
Belgium began the fightback but
at the other end of the pitch they found Stephanie Kershaw in tremendous form
in the heart of the Australian defence. She intercepted a number of crucial
passes and Belgium's attack was broken down time and again.
As the second half counted
down, Belgium became more desperate to score the elusive goals. Judith
Vandermeiren, in particular, was weaving her way through the Australian defence
but just couldn't find the finishing touch.
Player of the Match, Stephanie
Kershaw (AUS) said: 'That was really good. We knew it would be tough and
important. The whole team is pleased that we got the win.'
Belgium's captain Alix Gerniers
said: 'Today was important to top the pool. It was disappointing but tomorrow
is another day and we will start again then.'
The action in the FIH Hockey
Women's World Cup continues on Wednesday 6 July. At the Wagener Stadium in
Amstelveen, Pool A’s Ireland will play Germany at 16:30, followed by
Netherlands against Chile at 19:30.
At the Estadi Olimpic de
Terrasa in Spain, it is all Pool D action as Japan will face Belgium at 18:00,
then Australia take on South Africa at 21:30.
Check out the pool
standings here.
Pool A: Netherlands,
Germany, Ireland, Chile
Pool B: England, New Zealand, India, China
Pool C: Argentina, Spain, Korea, Canada
Pool D: Australia, Belgium, Japan, South Africa
FIH Hockey Women's World Cup
Spain & Netherlands 2022
5 July 2022 Results
Wagener Hockey Stadium,
Amstelveen (NED)
Match #12
Ireland 0, Chile 1
Player of the Match: Manuela
Urroz (CHI)
Umpires: Ivona Makar (CRO),
Wanri Venter (RSA), Annelize Rostron (RSA-video)
Wagener Hockey Stadium,
Amstelveen (NED)
Match #13
India 1, China 1
Player of the Match: Katariya
Vandana (IND)
Umpires: Aleisha Neumann (AUS),
Kang Hyun Young (KOR) Irene Presenqui (ARG - video)
Estadi Olimpic de Terrasa (ESP)
Match #14
Japan 3, South Africa 3
Player of the Match: Onthatile
Zulu (RSA)
Umpires: Catalina Montesino
(CHI), Cookie Tan (SGP), Michele Meister (GER- video)
Wagener Hockey Stadium,
Amstelveen (NED)
Match #15
England 1, New Zealand 3
Player of the Match: Katie Doar
(NZL)
Umpires: Maggie Giddens (USA),
Emi Yamada (JPN), Laurine Delforge (BEL-video)
Estadi Olimpic de Terrasa (ESP)
Match #16
Belgium 0, Australia 2
Player of the Match: Stephanie
Kershaw (AUS)
Umpires: Kelly Hudson
(NZL), Hannah Harrison (ENG) Michi Meister (GER-video)
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