Italy and Belarus move into FIH Women Champion Challenge II semi-finals: Hockey Recap
The quarter-finals of the FIH (International Hockey Federation) Champions Challenge II between Italy versus Malaysia and Belarus against Austria concluded on May 12, in Vienna, with Italy and Belarus coming out victorious respectively, 2-1 and 4-1. With
the triumphs, the two teams rode off into the semi-final stage of the event.
In the first quarter-final, the two squads showed stiff defence in the opening 30 minutes of the game. Both sides received plenty of goal-scoring chances, but to no avail. Many shots were blocked by the either side in the opening minutes, as Italy and Malaysia
failed to get into the score-board.
Alessia Padalino of Italy was the real architect of the victory, who notched a couple of goals to make the victory possible for her team. In the 31st minute of the game, she managed to take the ball away from the top of the circle and unleashed
a low-flying shot at the goal, opening the score at 1-0. Without any addition, the first half of play concluded with Italy sitting on top by a single point, 1-0.
After an end-to-end play at the start of the second half, Padalino converted a short-corner in the 54th minute of the match and doubled the tally, 2-0. The Malaysian attack though came alive in the last quarter of the second half, but to no avail.
Fazila Sylvester Silin scored a solitary goal in the last minutes and reduced the difference to a single goal, 2-1. However, it was the only offence from them and they lost the game and as well the semi-final spot.
In the second match, Belarus comfortably thrashed the host team of Austria by three goals, 4-1. The host side was not impressive throughout the two halves. The Belarus side proved that they were more powerful than the opponent, Austrian women.
From the very first minute of the game, the Belarus players started offensive game and carried out back-to-back attacks. They established their dominance onto the field with a couple of goals in the first and ninth minutes of the first half of play. In a
counter-offence, the Austrian side earned a short-corner and converted it to decrease the lead down to a single goal, 2-1. However, it was the only goal from the host side and they did not send the ball into the Belarus goal in the remaining period.
In the second half of play, Yuliya Mikheichyk of Belarus notched another two goals to expand the lead up to three points. The opponent host side failed to add any score and lost the game at 1-4. Belarus with the victory moved into the semi-final stage of
the Champion Challenge II.
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