China 2 defeat Australia 1
Goals: CHN – MA Yi Bo PC 3m, FU Bao Rong FG 8m; AUS – Emily HALLIDAY PC 16m
China secured their second victory in two matches against an Australia side who are still struggling to find their best form.
Australia were second best for much of the first half, with China taking advantage of some poor passing and occasionally ragged defending. MA Yi Bo scored the opener with a drag flick high into the top corner after just 3 minutes, and FU Bao Rong quickly got their second when she danced around Aussie keeper Rachel IMISON before firing hard against the backboard. Emily HALLIDAY pulled Australia back into the game with a deflected penalty corner strike, but China were very much the dominant force, catching out their opponents with fast passing and intelligent movement.
The Hockeyroos started the second period looking the brighter of the two sides, but failed to capitalise thanks to some resilient defending from China defender ZHOU Wan Feng in particular. She was in sparkling form, making a number of important tackles and passes throughout the game. With two minutes left, Australia won four penalty corners in quick succession, providing a chance to grab something from the match. China blocked out three slick Aussie routines, and witnessed a last-gasp drag flick sail just wide of the post ensuring that victory was theirs.
Australia coach Frank MURRAY described the result as “very disappointing”, and means his side have the odds seriously stacked against them in their quest to reach Sunday’s championship match.
Germany 3 defeat Argentina 1
Goals: GER – Silke MUELLER PC 17m, Janine BEERMANN FG 33m, Natascha KELLER FG 42; ARG – Luciana AYMAR FG 27m.
Germany produced a confident and disciplined display against Argentina, and grabbed all three points as a result.
The crowd witnessed some high tempo attacking hockey in the opening 15 minutes, with both teams looking to get as many circle penetrations as possible. Germany’s Silke MUELLER scored the games’ opening goal from a penalty corner deflection, before Luciana AYMAR saw her set play drag flick find the back of the net ten minutes later. The best goal of the game came from Germany’s Janine BEERMANN who picked up an excellent pass from Fanny RINNE on her reverse before shooting past Argentina keeper Mariela ANTONISKA.
Natasha KELLER extended Germany’s lead shortly after half time, tapping in an easy opportunity. Argentina had good spells of possession for the rest of the match, but excellent goalkeeping from Kristina REYNOLDS and organised defending gave Germany a deserved victory, moving them onto six points in the table.
Netherlands 4 defeat New Zealand 0
Goals: NED – Sylvia KARRES FG 15m, Vera VORSTENBOSCH FG 17m, Maartje PAUMEN PC 60m, Eefke MULDER PC 63m.
The Netherlands turned on the style in their victory over New Zealand, and sit at the top of the league table at the end of day three.
The first half was controlled from start to finish by the host nation in front of another large and vocal crowd, creating one goal scoring opportunity after another. New Zealand managed to hold out for 15 minutes when Sylvia KARRES scored the first of the match from open play. The second followed soon after thanks to an instinctive deflection by Vera VORSTENBOSCH who touched in a drilled cross into the circle. It was starting to look like New Zealand were going to be on the receiving end of a heavy score-line, and they did well to keep the Dutch tally to just two goals at the break.
When the teams emerged for the second half, New Zealand made it clear that they were not going to let the Dutch walk all over them. Many Netherlands attacks were thwarted by good defending, but a third goal always looked likely and arrived in the 60th minute courtesy of Maartje PAUMEN’s well-placed penalty corner drag flick. Number four came a few minutes later thanks to an outstanding penalty corner routine which saw Eefke MULDER smash the ball into the net. Had the Dutch grabbed a fifth, they would have registered their 150th goal in Champions Trophy hockey, but this landmark will have to wait until Match Day 4.
