Women’s Hockey World Cup
Spain and the Netherlands 2022
Match Day 11
Wednesday 13 July
Results
Canada 0 (0) – (3) 0 South Korea
India 3 – 1 Japan
Argentina 1 – 0 England
Australia 2 – 0 Spain
What’s Happened Today
Canada 0 (0) – (3) 0 South Korea; in the final round of classification matches, Canada took on South Korea. The Koreans almost took the lead in the first quarter, as the ball flashed across the face of the goal, with the back post undefended, but the final touch never came. Based in the Olympic Stadium in Teresa, both sets of players seemed to suffer from the heat of the early afternoon sun. Few chances were created and by the third quarter break the score remained goalless. The lack of intensity continued in the final period, and the game ended with neither team truly challenging the opponents goal. This meant that we saw our second penalty shootout of the competition. The Korean goalkeeper did well, having denied the first three Canadian attempts. In fact Amanda Woodcroft had her attempt disallowed, after pressure from Jinmin Lee. This allowed the Asians to storm ahead, securing the shootout win by scoring their first three attempts. Canada go home without having won a match at the World Cup.
India 3 – 1 Japan; in the final classification match of the tournament we were provided with a bit of a derby. This game saw Asian champions Japan against India, who came fourth at the Olympic Games, in Tokyo last year. Generally speaking the standard here was slightly higher than the earlier match of the day. The passing was more accurate and the movement off the ball slightly more energetic. We even got a goal in the first half. Yu Asai’s deflected shot, from a short corner, broke the deadlock to give Japan the lead. The Indians came back into the game, looking for an equaliser. They got several short corners, without success. However, just before half time, they got one back through a well taken Navneet Kaur field goal. India then took the lead through another short corner. Deep Grace Ekka was the scorer from the top of the circle. They then added a third before the final interval, with a Navneet Kaur goal in open play. This was how it ended.
Argentina 1 – 0 England; in the third of the Quarter Finals, fans were treated to the Pan American champions, who took on a decent European side fresh from a five nil crossover victory. Argentina came out with a bit of ambition in the first period. The forward line ran at the English defenders whenever they got the chance to and dominated possession with a high press. However neither side could test the opposition goalkeeper. This continued in the second quarter as well, with England only managing to form attacks a small number of times. Hollie Pearne-Webb was a brick wall in this match. Several Argentine attacks struggled to get past the England captain in defence. In the third quarter England started to move further forward and event into the circle for a couple of half chances. The score remained goalless at the interval. In the first minute of the final period Argentina opened the scoring. An attack down the right side saw Victoria Granatto score a deflected goal past Maddie Hinch at her near post. With about three minutes to go England took off Maddie HInch, for an additional outfield player. They promptly went up the other end and won a short corner, their first of the game, but were unable to convert. A drive down the right hand side from Lily Owsley in the last few seconds allowed her to send the ball to the back post. Belen Succi then made a world class save from Sophie Hamilton forward to deny a last minute equaliser. It was reminiscent of Gordon Banks’s save from Pele in the 1970 football World Cup. It was Argentina who took the biscuits and advanced to play Germany in the Semi Finals.
Australia 2 – 0 Spain; in the last of the Quarter Finals, co-hosts Spain are pegged back early on. In the second minute, Renee Taylor hammered home a strike from the top of the circle, after the Australians were awarded a penalty corner. The Spanish came forward and took control of the midfield areas for most of the rest of the first half. However, no more goals came and at half time the score remained one nil to the Aussies. The third quarter lacked some of the vim and vigour of the first period. However, the Australians won a penalty corner in the 40th minute, after Spanish goalkeeper Melanie Garcia kicked the ball into the body of Rosie Malone. In a repeat of her first goal Renee Taylor absolutely smashed it into the back of the goal, to double her team’s lead.
Best Goal
An Indian attack down the left hand side saw Neha get to the baseline. The ball popped lose for her team mate, who cut it back to Navneet Kaur. She moved back towards the space near the top of the circle, spun onto her strong side and fired the ball home past Eika Nakamura in the Japanese goal. It had a touch of graceful brutality to it.
The only goal in the Argentina versus England Quarter Final came from a quick bit of interplay, before a deft touch from the forward. Sofia Toccalino drove to the baseline for the Latin Americans, before dropping it almost straight back to Rocio Sanchez, who was stood inside of the circle, but at a 45 degree angle to the English goal. At this point she drilled the ball forward, just as Victoria Granatto snuck in front of Maddie Hinch and got a slight touch in order to deflect the ball into the near post. This, for me, was the best goal of the day.
Star Player
Eugenia Trinchinetti received the Player of the Match award in her Quarter Final against England. She promptly dedicated it to her goalkeeper Belen Succi, who made that fantastic save from Sophie Hamilton, to deny a last minute equaliser. However, for me the better player in the match was Victoria Granatto. The older of the two Argentinian sisters, showed skill and determination to constantly pose a threat to the English defence. The goal that she added in the fourth quarter also proved to be the match winner.
Favourite Moment
The save made by Belen Succi from a Sophie Hamilton back post shot was pretty special, but as an English and British hockey fan I wasn’t so happy with that. My favourite moment of the day came from an Australian counter attack, in the first half against Spain. After the co-hosts had pushed forward, there was a fair amount of space through a central channel. A long pass went through to Rosie Malone in a high area. As the defender approached her, she made a slap pass just around the corner to her team mate. The move didn’t quite work out, but it summed up the Australian ‘Gun and Run’ style of hockey. It was also a little bit fun and cheeky, which is something that has been lacking from this World Cup.
Podcast
You can keep up to date with the Women’s Hockey World Cup, by listening to the brand new Podcast, produced by the Hockey World News. It’s called the Hockey Pod, it is hosted by Jade Bloomfield. You can listen by clicking here. The Half Court Press has made an appearance, through Tao MacLeod acting as a guest on the show. If you also want to listen to the Half Court Press Podcast, then click here…
