Final Matches of FIH Hockey Women’s Nations Cup: Teams Secure Semi-Final Spots
During the final group stage of the FIH Hockey Women’s Nations Cup, New Zealand, Ireland, Chile, and Japan secured key victories. New Zealand overcame Scotland 3-1, while Ireland beat Korea 2-0. Chile triumphed over the USA 3-1, and Japan edged Canada 2-1. Notable quotes from players reflect their excitement and determination as they advance to the semi-finals.
On the final day of the FIH Hockey Women’s Nations Cup group stage, several teams secured their spots in the semi-finals. New Zealand triumphed over Scotland with a 3-1 victory, overcoming an early deficit. Meanwhile, Ireland continued their strong performance, defeating Korea 2-0 and maintaining an impressive clean sheet throughout the group matches. In Pool B, Chile emerged victorious against the USA with a 3-1 win at home, while Japan narrowly edged out Canada with a 2-1 victory thanks to a late goal.
New Zealand’s match against Scotland commenced with an unexpected lead for Scotland, who scored shortly after the match began. However, New Zealand’s resilience and skill in the circle allowed them to reclaim the lead and secure the match. New Zealand goalkeeper Grace O’Hanlon reflected on their teamwork, emphasizing their growth as a unit during the tournament, stating, “Look, it was a team effort and that’s what we are really trying to do in this tournament.”
Ireland faced Korea, exhibiting a strong defensive performance from the latter in the first half. However, Ireland’s Sarah Torrans found the net with a skillfully executed goal, and Christina Hamill sealed the fate of the match with a second goal. Christina Hamill expressed the team’s excitement, stating, “It feels amazing, a target of ours was always to get to the semi-finals, and to do it with three clean sheets is amazing.”
Chile capitalized on penalty corners in their match against the USA, scoring three goals to secure their place at the top of Pool B. The USA struggled with an early disallowed goal and missed opportunities in the second half. Maria Maldonado celebrated her milestone 100th match with her goal, saying, “I am very excited, I want to cry, I think. We played very good match and I scored a goal.”
The match between Japan and Canada remained scoreless in the first half, with Canada showcasing solid defense. However, Japan took advantage of a numerical advantage early in the second half, scoring the first goal through a penalty corner. After Canada equalized, a decisive play by Rui Takashima set up a winning goal for Hiroka Murayama. Hiroka expressed optimism for the future, sharing, “After the first three games, our team is going up and up. We just need to be a bit better in the next match.”
The final group stage matches of the FIH Hockey Women’s Nations Cup showcased impressive performances, leading to the determination of semi-finalists. New Zealand, Ireland, Chile, and Japan each claimed vital victories, demonstrating their skills and resilience. With the semi-finals approaching, these teams are well-positioned to continue their pursuit of championship glory.
Original Source: www.fih.hockey
