Spain defeats South Africa by 3-2 at FIH Champions Challenge Tournament
The Spanish women defeated the Investec South Africa women team by 3-2 in an overtime thrilling quarter-final of the FIH Champions Challenge tournament which is being played in Dublin, Ireland. All of the three Spanish goals were scored on penalty-corners.
Although the South African women dominated the entire match, but the luck was with Spain who eventually succeeded in confirming their place into the semi-final by scoring the decider just two minutes before the end of extra time.
The South African women started the game in a disciplined manner and maintained the pressure from the start of the play, but on the other side the Spanish women fought well by not allowing the South Africans to make any damage. However, the South African
women eventually brought their efforts into scoring opportunities in the 26th minute and Sulette Damons scored the first goal of the match for her team and put it ahead of their rivals.
Spain replied well by scoring the equaliser in the 32nd minute, when Raquel Huertas scored through beautiful drag flick shot. The first half ended at 1-1.
The second half was full of drama as the Spanish women took the early lead by scoring their second goal of the match and the scorer was Barbara Malda. The African women tried very hard to level the score, but the Spanish defence was matchless and their defenders
did not give any pure scoring chance until the 68th minute.
Pietie Coetzee, the world record holder of most goals scored with more than 225 goals, delivered once again in crucial moments of the match and scored the second goal for the South Africans on a penalty-corner, just two minutes before the end of play.
The match entered in extra time in which South Africans were again dominant, however Spain was awarded a penalty-corner in the dying moments of the match and they scored the decider, just two minutes before the play ends. The final score was 3-2 to Spain
and South Africa walked off the field with their hopes dwelling in sombre silence.
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