Women’s Hockey World Cup
Spain and the Netherlands 2022
Written by Tao MacLeod
Match Day 4
Tuesday 5 July
Results
Ireland 0 – 1 Chile
India 1 – 1 China
Japan 3 – 3 South Africa
New Zealand 3 – 1 England
Belgium 0 – 2 Australia
What’s Happened Today
Ireland 0 – 1 Chile; I must say that the Irish sporting anthem (a special song for a unified island of Ireland), is one of my favourite tunes to have been sung on a hockey pitch. Chile themselves sang their hearts out, carrying on after their music stopped over the tannoy. The first goal of the day came from a Chilean short corner, in the 47th minute. Denise Krimerman Losada fired one into the bottom corner, to Ayeisha McFerran’s left. After that the Irish started to apply some pressure, but a turning point in the match was perhaps when Elena Tice got a five minute yellow card for a heavy tackle on a Chilean opponent, with only seven minutes remaining. In truth it was a game that lacked consistency of skill execution and creativity from both sides. Chile took the chocolates and it would be expected that they are the team to advance to the second round crossover matches in third place, as the final group matches for Ireland and Chile are against higher ranked sides.
India 1 – 1 China; in this Pool B derby match we saw two of the giants of Asian hockey. India, who finished fourth at last year’s Summer Olympics and a much improved China. Both sides have employed foreign coaches, India with German born Janneke Schopman and China under the recent tutelage of the Australian, former Dutch coach, Alyson Annan and her assistant Ric Charlesworth. In fact, this is the first time, at this Women’s Hockey World Cup, where two female coaches have opposed each other. India scored a goal in the second quarter, which looked rather bizarre. It hit both posts, as it rolled across the line, before being bumbled over in a contested challenge. It was initially given, but disallowed for having hit an Indian body, after the Chinese referred it to the video umpire. A very evenly matched game, the scoreline ended in a one all draw, the third in a row for this first round grouping.
Japan 3 – 3 South Africa; over in Group D, in Terrassa, the Japanese Cherry Blossoms took an early lead. The captain Yuri Nagai scored a back post tap in within the first three minutes. Japan went on to take a three goal lead and the match looked over. However, the South Africans push forward in the second half and with six minutes of the match remaining they scored a short corner to make the score three goals to two. An exciting last couple of minutes saw South Africa equalise for their first point of the tournament. It was a fantastically exciting end to the match and worthy of note.
New Zealand 3 – 1 England; in the fourth match of the day, we headed back to Pool B, in the Wagener Stadium, where the hockey world was wondering if there would ever be a match won in this grouping of teams. England took the lead, with a Lily Owsley goal on her 100th Home Nations appearance. However the Kiwis equalised before halftime with a good field goal from Katie Doar. In the third quarter England had a goal disallowed and lost their referral, after a Grace Balsdon drag flick was deemed to have been dangerous when it hit a New Zealand defender. The Black Sticks then took a lead after a Katie Door shot took a deflection off of Giselle Ansley’s stick and went between the legs of an unlucky Maddie Hinch, in the English goal, who had already started to step the other way. After they went behind, the English looked slightly lacking in creativity. The build up play was alright and there were plenty of short corners. However, no goals came and this might have been due to the amount of balls that were forced through Kiwi defenders at the telling moment. New Zealand scored a short corner to add a third to their tally.
Belgium 0 – 2 Australia; Belgium and Australia play somewhat different styles of hockey. The Europeans like to pass and move a bit more, creating angles, looking for space. Like their Oceanic counterparts, New Zealand, the Australians play what they call a “Gun and Run’ style of hockey. This is a bit more direct, abrupt and at times quite exciting. Both methods require a type of physical fitness that requires a lot of running. Greta Hayes, a late call up to the squad, scores her first senior international goal for Australia. In the third quarter, she pounced on a loose ball in front of the goalkeeper and scored from close range. Within a minute, Australia struck again, this time from the left hand side of the pitch, with Rebecca Greiner getting in on the action. The game opened up, as Belgium came forward, looking for a goal. This just gave Australia a bit more space to run into and the match became a bit more of an end to end spectacle. There was a flurry of further chances in what remained of the match, but neither team was able to capitalise. The score remained the same.
Best Goal
A lovely bit of build up play from China saw them attack through the central channels. Jiagi Zhong picked the ball up near the half way line, moved with it to create an angle, before playing it forward to Xindan Zhang. The Chinese number 10 played a quick slip pass to Jiali Zheng in the circle, who advances on the goal and calmly sent it towards the far post and past Savita the Indian goalkeeper and captain. It was a brief glimpse of what a talented Chinese team can do, in an otherwise drab first half, against their Asian rivals India.
The best goal of the day, though, was the New Zealand equaliser against England saw a long aerial pass sent out of defence from Megan Hull. Tyler Lench picked up the ball on the left wing, drove forward to the baseline, looked up and cut a pass back to the top of the circle. Her delivery found team mate Katie Doar, who took a touch, before sticking her shot past Maddie Hinch in the English goal. It was a fine team move, that travelled almost the entire length of the pitch and encapsulated the ‘Gun and Run’ Oceanic style of hockey.
Star Player
In the second half of her game against Japan, the South African number 10, Onthatile Zulu, came alive. She made several attacks down the wings, putting pressure on the Japanese full backs. She looked ambitious and exciting, bringing some much needed dynamism to the ladies in green and gold. Similarly, her team mate Kristen Paton, performed admiringly, even getting onto the scoresheet, with a well taken field goal in the 37th minute. However, New Zealand’s Katie Dear was awarded Player of the Match, in the match against England this evening. Her two goals set her aside, but her midfield play helped her team in possession and contributed in a broader sense as her team won their first game of the tournament.
Favourite Moment
With 85 seconds left of their match against Japan, South Africa score an equaliser. After having been three nil down, they came back in the second half, with a strong attacking performance to secure their first point of the competition. It showed teamwork, determination and skill to get themselves back into this position. Kristen Paton got their first, followed by two Tarryn Lombard goals, from short corner routines. It will go down as a classic World Cup comeback.