Women CT: Netherlands and Argentina into the final
Argentina and Netherlands will play the final of the Samsung Women Champions Trophy at Highfields Sport Centre in Nottingham, England on Sunday 18th of July, 2010.
On the last day of the group matches Las Leonas won an exciting match against the Chinese side. The Dutch defeated the Germans in a game that was a test of nerves for both these hockey greats. New Zealand gained a single point in the tournament by drawing against the home side; this draw took away the chance from England to play in the final tomorrow.
On the last day of the group matches the first match of the day was played between Netherlands and Germany. This match was important for both sides as the winner of this game will confirm their place in the final. The match started with attacking hockey, played by both sides as they were attacking each other goal posts.
Germany's Tina BACHMANN and Netherland’s Maartje PAUMEN flicked off penalty corner hit the frame of the goal but couldn’t find the post. The first half was goalless with both sides unable to capitalize the penalty corners. It was Kim LAMMERS powerful shot that hit the left corner of the goal in the 49th minute of the match to give the Dutch side a lead.
Kim LAMMERS imbedded her name in history by scoring` the 1000th goal of the Champions Trophy. The Germans fought hard for an equalizer but the Dutch defense proved too good for them. The Netherlands won the match and qualified for the finals which will be played on Sunday.
In the second match of the last day of the round matches, the Black Sticks were able to get 1 point in the tournament by drawing against the home side England. The match started with the English as the favourites to win. The home side made some good moves initially but the underdogs scored in the 8th minute of the match thanks to a magnificent run by Piki HAMAHONA. Things got worse for the English side when Gemma FLYNN scored for the Kiwis in the 18th minute of the match.
The English side came back in the game in the very next minute when Nicola WHITE deflected the ball into the goal after a beautiful pass from Charlotte CRADDOCK. Crista CULLEN scored an equalizer 5 minutes before half time on a powerful penalty corner flick. The English side was very aggressive in the second half and made some wonderful moves but it was Beth JURGELEIT, the Black Sticks goal keeper, who was hard to beat. England had chances in the last minutes of the game but they couldn’t convert the penalty corners to goals. With this draw, the chances of the English to play in the final depends on the last match of the day.
In the last match of the round matches, Las Leonas won an exciting match against the Chinese side. The match started with the Chinese dominance on the game, the South Americans gained control of the game as the match progressed. Daniela SRUOGA scored the first goal for Argentina in the 21st minute of the match when she smashed a reverse stick shot into the top of the goal post. WANG Zishuang's found an equalizer in the 30th minute of the match.
Silvina D'ELIA and Rosario LUCHETTI scored the 2nd and 3rd goals for Las Leonas in the 45th and 49th minutes of the match. The Chinese side made a remarkable come back into the game when ZHAO Yudiao and FU Baorong scored in the last 10 minutes of the match. The match came on the turning point in the 68th minute, when the Argentine side was given a penalty corner and Noel BARRIONUEVO made sure to score the winning goal for her side. With this win Las Leonas are in the final and they might win the Champions trophy third time in a row. Argentina reached the finals with a better goal average.
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