Women’s Hockey World Cup
Spain and the Netherlands 2022
Written by Tao MacLeod
Match Day 6
Thursday 7th July
Results
England 2 – 0 China
Argentina 7 – 1 Canada
India 3 – 4 New Zealand
South Korea 1 – 4 Spain
What’s Happened Today
England 2 – 0 China; In a game that lacked an excess of goalscoring opportunities England scored two short corners that the Chinese felt should have been disallowed. The Asians referred the first goal for a Grace Balsdon shot being dangerous, after it was deflected in off a defender on the way Into the back of the goal. The video umpire disagreed with their interpretation and they lost their referral, something that they would come to regret in the second quarter. In the 26th minute Giselle Ansley added a second for her team, however replays showed that the ball never left the circle during the set piece phase of play and the Chinese were insistent that the umpire take another look at things after awarding the goal. However, as they had earlier spent their right to protest their claims of an injustice were waved away. The match finished two goals to nil to give the English their first win of the tournament.

Argentina 7 – 1 Canada; in the second match of the day, underdogs Canada took a surprise lead against one of the tournament favourites, Argentina, in Group C. A ball was sent into the circle from captain Natalie Sourisseau, which found a team mate just in front of Belen Succi in the Argentinian goal. The ball was fumbled and it looked like the chance was gone, but 19 year old Grace Delmotte pounced and sent it over the line. The shock seemed to awaken the Latin Americans and they turned on their attacking magic. They duly took a three one lead, going into the half time break, with field goals from Julieta Jankunas and Victoria Granatto, before Maria Granatto deflected in a goal, from a short corner routing. By full time Argentina showed their complete dominance during the match by putting seven past the Canadians. It was a benchmark, one feels, for everybody else in this competition.
India 3 – 4 New Zealand; India took an early lead through Vandana Katariya, however New Zealand fought their way back into the game. They scored a goal in each of the first two quarters, firstly through their world class centre forward Olivia Merry and then Tessa Jopp, going into the half time break with a two one lead. An energetic and multi faceted game, which at one point looked like there might be the need to have a tie breaking penalty shoot out between India and China, because of an equal points, goals scored and goals against tally for both sides and only one of those two teams able to progress to the next round. However, Lalremsiami and Gurjit Kaur goals in the third and fourth quarter put paid to that. A frantic end to the match involved an excess of short corners, as India looked for an equaliser. We had referrals, tension and a video umpire who earned her wages for the evening. However, no goal came and the match finished with the Kiwis winning by a nose and the Indians advanced ahead of China and behind England in the group standings.

South Korea 1 – 4 Spain; for the final game of the day we returned to Terrassa to see South Korea take on co-hosts Spain. After the other Group C result earlier in the afternoon both of these teams knew that they would be advancing to the next round. The only question was in which position. Spain took the lead through a lovely field goal that was finished off by Begoña Garcia, before being pegged back by a rare Korean foray into their opponents circle. However, Xantal Gine scores from a penalty corner in order to give the Spaniards a two one lead at the half time interval. Spain, having had the majority of the possession in the first half, carried on this dominance in the second. They added two more goals in the third and fourth quarters, running out four one winners.
Best Goal
Argentina’s fourth goal was scored by Augustina Albertarrio. It was a thunderbolt, a true tub thumper of a shot. She picked the pocket of the Canadian defender, with a reverse stick tackle, in the attacking quarter. Taking the ball onto her strong side, Albertarrio advanced forward into the right hand side of the circle and fired the ball into the far corner. It showed real force and power in order to score.
The opening goal for India in the evening game today came about from a bit of skill from Lalremsiami. After gaining possessions of the ball, at the top of the circle and her back to goal, she spun, before sending a shot goal wards, at a slight angle. Her team mate Vandana Katariya runs forward to meet it, gaining a deft touch to send it between the goalkeeper’s pads and across the line, a fine poachers goal. Lalremsiami then scored a similar goal herself in the third quarter, indicating that this is something that the Indians have been working on in training. The second Indian goal also gave the team a ‘goals for’ advantage, over China, in the group standings. This was important, because it put them in the third sport in the pool and allowed them to advance to the next round.
Spain’s opener against South Korea was pretty classy. Sara Barrios picked up the ball on a left hand channel. She spun past the Korean full back, advances into space and centres it towards the back post. Begoña Garcia ran to tap the ball over the line. It was an aesthetically pleasing way to score that involved individual skill as well as teamwork. However, the best goal of the day has to have been the Spanish third. A lovely bit of build up play saw Lucia Jimenez receive the ball at the top of the circle. A cute give and go saw her with the ball as the space opened up. Her shot was fired home with pace and vigour to make it three one…

Star Player

The Argentinian attack was in fine form, yet again. They looked almost unstoppable when going forward today, with Maria Granatto, Eugenia Trinchinetti and Augustina Albertarrio having good games. Augustina Gorzelany even added to her burgeoning goal tally with a couple of short corners today. However, I feel that Victoria Granatto was their best player today, winning set pieces for her side and even scoring a field goal herself. Her running with the ball was both energetic and entertaining and posed a real threat to the Canadian full backs. She was even awarded Player of the Match after the final whistle.
Favourite Moment
My favourite moment of the day came in the fourth quarter of the South Korea and Spain match. Laura Barrios picked up the ball on the baseline of the right wing. She cut the ball back as a Korean full back over commited herself. Barrios then skipped passed a second defender, before driving towards the goal. Once there she nutmeged the goalkeeper to score a fabulous individual goal.




