USA defeat Ireland by 3-1 to qualify for semi-final of FIH Champions Challenge
USA women defeated the top ranked Irish women hockey team by 3-1 in the last quarter-final of the event, on June 23. The victory was quite surprising for both the teams, especially for the Irish women who played beautifully throughout the tournament and
topped their pool with seven points. They won two of their three matches at the group stages, while the third game ended in a draw.
The winner of the quarter-final, USA delivered their first victory of the tournament as they got their berth in the semi-final. In the group matches the USA women did not win even a single game and they finished at the last spot on points table with a solo
point. They were defeated in two of their three group matches, while the third match finished at level scores.
The quarter-final started with a clear dominance of USA women throughout the first half in which they scored a couple of goals. The USA team defended the Irish attack very well and at the same time they also created their own chances, in fact they maintained
a good pressure on the Irish women which worked for them and they managed to make a double strike before the interval.
On the other side, the Irish women played good hockey, but they committed a reasonable number of errors in their defence and the USA women utilised those mistakes to the full. The score remained at 2-0 to USA in the first half.
In the second half the USA women continued to play with the same pace and intensity. They kept up their pressure on the Irish women and just after two minutes of the start of play in the second half the USA women tripled their lead with a beautiful field
goal by Rachel Dawson.
Ireland replied well just after ten minutes of the USA’s third goal and scored their first goal of the match that proved to be their last of the match as no further goal was scored after that. The match concluded at 3-1 to USA, who will face Scotland in
the semi-final.
Tags: