Sports Bulletin

Sports Bulletin Report Lausanne (Switzerland):-An experienced Indian team gave a dominant attacking and defensive performance to outclass their young German counterparts in a thrilling game that saw non-stop attacking action throughout the 60 minutes. Penalty Corners once again proved to be India’s greatest ally as they converted from 3 of their 6 opportunities form the set pieces. Harmanpreet got the first two goals, taking his season tally to 16 goals, with player of the match Abhishek getting the 3rd goal, by getting a deflection on another Harmanpreet penalty corner attempt. Andre Henning, the German head coach, said before the match that he would be thrilled to get a point from this game given the very young and relatively low experienced squad he was working with and their realistic goal was to learn as much as they could from this game, while Indian head coach Graham Reid warned of complacency, reiterating that any German side, no matter their age, presented a dangerous challenge. India for their part took their coach’s words seriously and were relentless in their attacks from the first minute to the last. They started the first quarter on the front foot looking to exploit gaps in the German defence and mid field early. They had plenty of opportunities, primarily through Shilanand Lakra and Abhishek who were electric all game, but the German defence was resolute. The first penalty corner of the game went to India and it was Jugraj who took it, but the German defence closed him down before he could get his shot away, ending the quarter at 0-0. India kept up the pressure after the restart and if anything, their attack was even more dominant in the second quarter. A mazy run by Manpreet Singh resulted in the 2nd penalty corner for India and this time it was Harmanpreet who took the shot and he blasted it to the bottom right corner, leaving the post defender and Stadler with no chance of stopping the powerful shot. Germany had a chance to get a goal back right away from the restart, as a powerful cross into the circle caught Indian captain Rohidas out, and his attempted block left the ball at the stick of Wolff with just the Indian keeper to beat, but his shot went off target and India regained their composure. 2 minutes before the half ended, India got another penalty corner after Glander’s attempted clearance hit the back of his stick. Once again India went to Harmanpreet as Jugraj was off the field, and despite the ball stopping in an awkward position for him, he dragged it close to him and sent a low shot to the bottom left corner of the goal, doubling India’s lead into the halftime. Indian coach Graham Reid was not very pleased with the half-time score and warned against the danger Germany posed with 2 goals not being enough of an advantage. The third quarter felt like a repeat of the first as India continued to press and look for a third goal that could seal the game for them, while the German defence, led by captain Martin Zwicker continued to hold steady. Just as the teams looked ready to go into the final quarter with the game still very much open, India got themselves a penalty corner with 1 second left on the clock and they did not fail to convert it. Harmanpreet again went low to the left and Stadler looked like he had it covered, but Abhishek got his stick right in front of Stadler, and the ball deflected into the opposite side of the goal, giving the German keeper and his defence no chance of stopping it. With a 3 goal lead in the 4th quarter, India started to slow the pace of the game down. They still were on the front foot, but no longer needed to force the issue. Germany had big stretches of possession in the quarter, but they often looked to find an Indian foot in the circle, but the Indian defence, were excellent at keeping their sticks low and avoiding any foot contact inside the circle. India ended the match without conceding a single penalty corner in a clinical performance in attack and defence.

Sports Bulletin Report Potchefstroom (South Africa):-Netherlands have won the title of FIH Junior Women’s Hockey World Cup after beating Germany 3-1 in the final at North West University Potchefstroom, South Africa on April 12, 2022. Netherlands beat Germany 3-1 (Final for Gold Medal): Coming into this game, Netherlands had scored 46 goals and conceded none. Germany, by contrast, had lost a pool match but had used that as a springboard to get better with every game. The question was whether the German side had what it takes to breach the Dutch defence. The need to find a way to score against Netherlands increased when Danique van der Veerdonk sent a magnificent drag flick penalty corner past Mali Wichmann in the German goal. The goal came after a sustained period of pressure by the team in orange on the German defence. As the half progressed, Germany withstood a period of play where the Netherlands just didn’t let up possession. The team in white looked to be run ragged as they chased the ball around the pitch. However, as the half counted down, the German resistance paid off and they started to make in-roads of their own. The final action of the half saw the Netherlands defence being asked questions for perhaps the first time this tournament. And finally it happened! The 200th game of this tournament and the first against the Netherlands was scored by Germany’s Sophia Schwabe. This followed a period of confident and aggressive hockey from the German players. The scores remained even for two minutes before Tessa Beetsma was able to restore her team’s lead. Maria Steensma worked the ball down the baseline and slipped it goalwards. Beetsma needed no second invite to flick it home. It was Beetsma again just 10 minutes later. The ever excellent Noor Omrani ran down the baseline and her cross found Beetsma waiting in the circle. Not even Wichmann could stop the sharp shooter from scoring her second and Netherlands’ third. In the final quarter, Germany threw absolutely everything at the Netherlands but the entire team in orange dug deep and defended as well as they attacked. This was a final with class written all over it, but in the end, there was only really one winner. Tessa Beetsma: ‘It was an incredible game and we had to fight against Germany. The defence were great today. My teammates make the goals. I am looking for the goal chance in the six metre area in front of goal. Netherlands Head Coach Dave Smolenaars said: The girls worked so hard against very good opponents. I couldn’t be more happy for the progress and the development. We conceded one goal, but we wold have liked to have kept it to zero.’ His counterpart, the German Head Coach Akim Bouchouchi said: ’We are proud of the medal but we wanted to win this match. We were too nervous in the first half. Congratulations to Netherlands, they really worked hard for it. We had some chances but we didn’t have the final knockout blow to get the goals we needed. We needed momentum and we didn’t get it.’ England vs India 2-2 (England win shoot-out 3-0 to earn 3 place): Early pressure from India signalled their intent to win their final match but two penalty corner attempts from Deepika were well saved by Mila Welch and it was clear that England had brought their own A game to this encounter. The quarter batted back and forth with neither side able to get the first breakthrough. England had one shot just ahead of the whistle for the end of the first quarter through Claudia Swain but the shot flew high over Devi Kharibam’s goal. It was England who were the first to break the deadlock. Captain Millie Giglio took the ball into the India circle and her shot bobbled in front of Devi Kharibam. The ‘keeper will be annoyed that she didn’t clear it and the ball trickled over her line. India responded well and three minutes later Mumtaz Khan scored her sixth goal of the tournament when she followed up on an initial shot that had been saved by Welch. The game continued in the same vein, with India just shading possession but England’s defence putting in some great tackles. Beauty Dung Dung had a golden opportunity to put India ahead but her shot was charged down by Welch. Then Giglio came close to adding to her first goal but her shot was well-saved by Kharibam. The third quarter was equally evenly matched and neither side really created any clear chances. Two different styles of play were in evidence. India were looking to play the ball through midfield, while England were building up attacks along the right and left hand side of the pitch. What was very similar was the quality of both defensive units. The next goal came in the 47th minute and was a hammer blow to the hard-working England team. Mumtaz Khan scored her seventh of the tournament after a rebound fell to her and she was able to slam it home. England removed their goalkeeper with six minutes still left on the clock and this gave the team an advantage that they finally made pay when Claudia Swain was able to latch onto a cross from Maddie Axford. This sent the game to shoot-out and England were faultless as their first three players all scored. Evie Wood in the England goal was able to block all three India attempts. The result was the reverse of the 2013 bronze medal match when India beat England on a penalty shoot-out. Player of the Match Maddie Axford said: ‘'That was an amazing feeling, I can't believe it. i’m so happy for the group. Everyone put such a shift in. Everyone held their own and we didn't give up to the end.’ England captain Milli Giglio said: ‘Not only are we the youngest team ever to participate for England at this level but we have just made history because we’ve never won a medal at this level. We came together two months ago, brand new team and brand new people and we smashed it.’ England’s Head Coach Simon Letchford said: ‘Firstly, very well played to India, it is harsh to lose in that way. From our perspective, every game we have learnt from.’ A disappointed Erik Wonink said: The match only counts what the score was. I think the girls did develop greatly over the tournament and made huge improvement and great steps. Now we hand them over to the next teams.’ India captain Salima said: ‘We are very disappointed to have lost and it was hard luck today but well done to England and we are still good. Next time we will try to do even better.’ The match means England have achieved their highest finish at a Junior World Cup. India finish in fourth place. South Africa beat 3-2 (7-8th place): Early pressure from South Africa saw the host nation earn a penalty corner in the opening minutes of the match. Seconds later USA striker Hope Rose was firing at the South African goal after a swift counter-attack. All the signs were there that this was going to be a great 60 minutes of hockey in the opening match on finals day. South Africa took the lead through Bianca Wood. The forward hadn’t really found her groove during this tournament but when she latched onto a Kayla de Vaal cross and fired home, we saw a glimpse of the South African’s skill and strength. The host nation doubled their lead in the 12th minute when Jean-Leigh du Toit was able to show her ability from the top of the circle. Her drag-flick gave Annabel Skubisz no chance of making a save. Despite being 2-0 down, the USA were far from out of this game. The dangerous trio of Charlotte de Vries, Ashley Tessa and Hope Rose always looked capable of creating chances when they went on the attack. It was vitally important for USA to get on the score-card if they were to challenge for the seventh place but early in the second half South Africa spoiled that ambition with their third of the match. Tamla Kock created the goal with a lovely jinking move past the USA defenders, before she hit the ball across the circle. Mikkela le Roux got the final touch, which tipped the ball past Skubisz. A three-goal cushion allowed South Africa to play with far more freedom than their opponents in the early stages of the second half. The team in green were running with the ball confidently and playing with real enjoyment. All that changed in the 38th minute when Josie Varney won the ball in midfield and dashed to the South African circle. Her reverse stick shot wrong-footed Mishka Ellis and suddenly USA were back in the game. USA’s second goal came from the quick reactions of Abigail Tamer. The USA built patiently up their right-hand side of the pitch and the ball eventually pinged loose in the South African circle. Tamer pounced and the ball squeezed past Amelie Claasen in the South Africa goal. It was a grandstand finish as the USA sought the equaliser and South Africa endured nervous moments as the team in red tried everything in the coaching manual to get back on terms. The final whistle was met by relief and then joy by South Africa as they finished in seventh position, the team’s best position since 2001 when they finished sixth. Player of the Match was South Africa’s Edith Molikoe: The athlete had played a quietly dominant role in midfield throughout the match. She said: ‘The girls put a lot of effort into this match and we wanted to finish on a high. This was probably our best performance of the tournament. After this, some of us will be preparing for the Women’s World Cup and the Commonwealth Games later this year. A lot of youngsters watching will see this as a moment of history. The next generation will see this and want to do better, so the next team can finish top three.’ South Africa Head Coach Lenise Marais said: ‘We had some moments where we really dominated and thankfully we scored three goals. We wanted to kill the game off with a fourth goal and we didn’t but our defence held out for us. At the start of the tournament we wanted to get through to the top eight, which we did. And we wanted to finish with a win, that was important.’ Tracey Paul, Head Coach to USA said: ‘Losing is always disappointing but finishing in the top eight is an achievement. Credit to South Africa, they played a hard, tough tournament. I have seen a lot of growth among our players and we have a lot of rising stars. It was a fantastic experience. ‘ USA’s captain Kayla Blas said: ‘As the USA, we really don’t give up and that was really noticeable today. This Junior World Cup has been a fantastic experience, playing against world class opponents day in, day out was really something exceptional.’ South Africa finished the competition in seventh place, their best finish since 2001. For USA, an eighth place finish mirrors their achievements in 2016. Argentina beat Korea 10-0 (5-6th place): In the pool match earlier in the competition, Argentina won 2-0 against Korea. For this final match Head Coach Fernando Ferrara would have urged his players to really pressure the Korea goal and finish the competition playing the sort of hockey they are capable of but haven’t shown regularly at this tournament. The athletes answered his call. At the end of the first quarter Argentina had dominated play but, despite several attempts, the South American side were only 1-0 ahead - via a goal that was scored by Maria Adorno. The forward received the ball from Daiana Pacheco and turned it past Lee Seoyeon, the Korea goalkeeper, with all the crafty stick work we have come to expect of her. Argentina doubled their lead two minutes into the second quarter. Sofia Cairo was the scorer after umpire Wanri Venter played a great advantage and Cairo was able to lift the ball over Lee Seoyeon for her first goal of the tournament. For their part, the Korea side were very much playing a defensive game. Much of the game was taking place in the Korea half of the pitch and the Asian side seemed to be patiently waiting for a moment to counter attack. The Asian team’s task got tougher when Sol Pagella scored a third goal just ahead of half time. Her goal was almost inevitable as Las Leoncitas piled one wave of pressure after another on the Korea defence. The fourth goal came after a lull in goalmouth action for the first part of the second half. Argentina had been patiently playing the ball around the pitch, moving closer and closer to the Korea circle. Then, when the gap opened, Cairo was able to drive forwards and Paula Santamarina was on hand to strike the ball home. With a four goal cushion, Argentina were able to play more expansive hockey and the fifth goal came from a fantastic ball out of defence. That was played with precision from the midfield into the circle and Maria Cerundolo was able to finish the move off in style. Korea were now totally vanquished and just a few seconds after goal five, Catalina Andrada was able to make it six with Argentina’s first penalty corner goal of the match. Argentina continued to play their compelling style of attacking hockey and Korea just had no answer to the onslaught. The seventh goal was scored by Daiana Pacheco. A deserving reward for her energetic and hard-working performance. Lee Seoyeon continued to stand up to the endless stream of Argentina attacks but she had no answer to Brisa Brugesser as she shot fiercely for goal eight. Paula Santamarina scored her second when she was given space to turn and shoot and an unmarked Victoria Manuela brought up the tenth goal. Player of the Match Paula Santamarina said: ‘We are very happy that we won but most importantly we are happy because we played our style of hockey in this match. I had a lovely time here in South Africa. It was my first international tournament and it has been fantastic experience.’ A delighted Argentina Head Coach, Fernando Ferrara said: ’I am very happy because the players were good today. They played very fluid hockey. For us it has been a good experience, it was nice to be in beautiful South Africa.’ Head Coach of Korea You Moon Ki said: ‘Our last match was against a very strong Argentina and my players were very tired. We will take what we have learnt back to Korea and that will help our preparations for the next Junior World Cup.’ Individual Awards Top Scorer: Jip Dicke (NED) - Goalkeeper of the Tournament: Mali Wichmann (GER) Player of the Tournament: Stine Kurz (GER)

Sports Bulletin Report Potchefstroom (South Africa):-Germany and Netherlands reached in the final of FIH Junior Women’s World Cup 2022 after beating England 8-0 and India 3-0 respectively in the semifinals at North West University Potchefstroom South Africa. Final will be played on April 12 at the same venue. Argentina beat USA 2-0 (5-8th place): USA were seeking to overturn history as the two Pan Am teams had met four times before at a Junior World Cup and had never managed to beat their South American rivals in this competition. The first 10 minutes saw the two teams trading blow for blow. USA midfielder Kathryn Peterson  was instrumental in driving her team forward, seeking to link up with the talented strike force of Ashley Sessa and Hope Rose. However, it was Argentina who created the better opportunities, putting USA goalkeeper Annabel Skubisz to the test. The Leonacitas thought they had taken the lead when Valentina Raposo found the back of the net with a penalty corner but it was disallowed. USA Head Coach Tracey Paul called for her team to take shots earlier and as the second quarter started  Lauren Wadas answered the call with a great strike that put Lourdes Perez in the Argentina goal under pressure for the first time. It was Argentina who broke the deadlock. For most of the quarter, the USA defence had stood tall in the face of Argentina’s attacking skills, but they couldn’t avoid conceding a penalty corner in the 23rd minute. This time there was no doubt as Juliana Guggini struck the ball past Skubisz. With USA chasing Argentina’s slender lead, the quality of Argentina’s defence was really highlighted. Time and again, the energetic and willing USA athletes tried to find a way past the blue and white wall but there was no way through. When in possession, Argentina’s players passed the ball with great speed and precision as they sought to wear the USA side down by moving the ball around the field. No less impressive was the USA defence at the other end of the pitch. As Brisa Bruggesser and Daiana Pacheco threw everything into scoring a second goal, Skubisz and her defence were faultless in their bravery and positioning. The game was put beyond doubt with a piece of sheer class from Daiana Pacheo. The midfielder turned on the turbo chargers as she raced from her defensive quarter to the USA circle. Her pass found Victoria Manuele who made no mistake to double her team’s lead. With five minutes left on the clock, USA Coach Paul removed Skubisz from the goal and USA went on all out attack. Showing great game management, Argentina dealt with the extra field player well and USA were once more unable to find a Junior World Cup victory over their South American rivals. South Korea beat South Africa 1-0 (5-8th place): The host nation got off to a sparkling start determined to give the supporters something to cheer in the rainy weather. A penalty corner in the third minute just flew wide but South Africa had showed their intent to play a high tempo, attacking form of hockey. Not to be outdone, minutes later Korea won their own penalty corner opportunity. Captain Kim Seona’s shot, like that of her South African counterpart, was just wide of Mishka Ellis’s post. With just a minute left, South Africa had another penalty corner and this time the variation from Hanrie Louw went wide of the other post. The deadlock was broken through a lovely piece of play from Korea. The goal was scored against the run of play but demonstrated how a swift counter-attack can turn a game on its head. The goal was scored by Choi Nurim but was crafted by Park Yeongeun, who played the most beautiful pass into Choi’s path, putting the striker into a one-on-one with the goalkeeper. South Africa tried to come straight back but Jenri Thomas’s attempt at a deflection was well saved by Kim Eunji in the Korea goal. As the third quarter counted down, South Africa turned up the heat on Korea with wave after wave of attacks. Korea struggled to contain the speedy running of Onthatile Zulu and Tamlyn Kock but the home side were not able to cap off some fine build up play with a goal. And so, with 15 minutes left, South Africa set about scoring the all important equaliser, pummelling at the strong and disciplined Korea defence. There will be South African players who replay in their mind the missed opportunities that followed, both from open play and numerous penalty corners. the final statistics showed that South Africa had 28 circle penetrations and 16 shots with no goals scored. South Africa’s skipper Zulu was ceaselessly energetic as she used her pace to ghost past the Korea players but, even reduced to 10 players when Kim Seona received a yellow card, the team in red presented a wall that was proved unbreachable. Netherlands beat India 3-0 India (Semifinal): The top four goalscorer thus far in the competition were on the pitch for this game, so the spectators could have been forgiven for anticipating a goal-fest. However, the two teams involved have also been the meanest when it comes to conceding goals. Prior to today’s fixture, the Dutch had gone four hours to this point without giving a goal away, while India had conceded just two goals in the four previous matches. It was a wonderful start to the game. Mumtaz Khan nearly gave India the dream start as she received the ball from Tete Salima and saw her resulting shot strike Sophie ter Kuile’s goalpost. Just minutes later Jip Dicke uncharacteristically missed the ball when faced with a clear scoring opportunity after Noor Omrani sent a lovely ball through to the sharp shooter. India continued to press forwards with real intensity but then the Dutch did what they do brilliantly. The ball was picked up in defence and 18 swift passes later it was in the back of the India net. The final moves involved a one-two from Luna Fokke to Noor Omrani and onto Tessa Beetsma. Beetsma made no mistake as she shot past Devi Kharibam in the India goal. Beetsma thought she had scored again just seconds later by some great umpiring by Rebecca Woodcock detected the use of the back of the stick and the scores remained at 1-0. Possession then batted back and forth, with India causing more problems in 30 minutes than the team in orange had faced all tournament. However, during his half-time talk, India Head Coach Erik Wonink would have been urging his players to push harder to turn chances to goals. The second half saw the Netherlands begin to push their foot down a little more. The difference between the team in orange and all other teams in Potchefstroom is the speed and accuracy with which they pass the ball; as the second half progressed, India were feeling the full force of the Dutch passing game. In the third quarter, the Netherlands created several early chances to put the game out of reach. Luna Fokke, Rosa Fernig and Mette Winter all had good scoring opportunities but India somehow managed to clear their circle and keep their opponents in sight. Priyanka was particularly strong at the heart of the India defence. And so with 15 minutes left, the game was still wide open. India’s speedy counter attack was always going to pose a threat to the Netherlands and so there was a lot of high tension around the pitch. The match was put to bed in the final seven minutes of the game as the Netherlands scored two goals of sublime quality. First Noor Omrani showed great vision to send a cross field pass to Luna Fokke, who used her own body movement to receive the ball and put away the shot. Germany beat England 8-0 (Semifinal): Germany got off to the dream start in the second semi-final of the day when they scored an early penalty corner goal. The goal was created and scored by Verena Neumann who ran the ball into the circle to win the penalty corner and was then the beneficiary of a penalty corner variation, which saw the ball played back to her as the injector. She stooped low to sweep the ball into the net. England were left stunned just two minutes later when Germany doubled their lead through a fantastically taken drag flick from Stine Kurz. Two penalty corner goals meant the England defence were nervous about conceding another corner. A reluctance to make a tackle would explain why Jette Fleschütz was able to run through the defence and pop the ball past Mila Welch in the England goal to give her side a seemingly unassailable 3-0 lead after 15 minutes. Pauline Heinz increased England’s pain in the second quarter. England had started to make their own in-roads, with Sophia Martin making a great interception but unable to finish with a goal. However, Germany went on a counter attack which saw Julie Bleuel drive forwards before slipping the ball to Sara Strauss. Strauss’s shot rebounded to Pauline Heinz, who was able to fire the ball home, much to the dismay of the England team. Germany’s conversion rates from penalty corners continued to impress as they added to the scoreboard with a third penalty corner from just five attempts. Verena Neumann was able to repeat her first goal as the penalty corner was played back to her as she moved from the injection point towards the goal. Neumann scored her hat-trick a minute later when she latched onto a shot into the circle and just did enough to wrong foot Evie Wood who had replaced Mila Welch in the England goal.

Sports Bulletin Report ISLAMABAD:-India and Netherlands played out another close game of hockey under a scorching sun in Bhubaneswar, with 60 minutes proving inadequate to separate the two sides, requiring a shoot-out; where the young Dutch eves finally got the better of their experienced Indian counterparts. The match started off with a complete turnaround of fortunes for India, who had to endure a lot of pressure on their goal in the first quarter last evening. It took them a total of 34 seconds to get their first goal today, as their attack from the starting whistle led to a penalty corner that was deflected by a Dutch defender and then turned in by Rajwinder in front of the goal. It was a perfect start for India, and not what Netherlands were looking for after a close loss in the previous game. India, confident from the goal, took control of the game and their high press turned the ball over, often in the Dutch half. Netherlands finally found their feet in the game at around the 12-minute mark and they forced the Indian team to retreat into their own half as the first quarter came to a close. Second quarter again saw momentum swing India’s way to begin with, as they won the mid-field battle, cutting off the passing lanes that Netherlands like to use to build their attacks, but with the conditions taking their toll, Netherlands finally started getting the better of India to close the first half and forced Savita into three saves in the final 2 minutes, but she was up to the challenge and India took the 1 goal lead into the half. The half time break was exactly the momentum breaker India needed and they started the second half on the front foot. Jyoti and Monika both were recipients of chances after some great work by the Indian mid field and attack to set up scoring opportunities coming from their left wing. But while Jyoti’s effort was saved well by Remmerswaal, Monika couldn’t get the connection she wanted on a bouncing ball, and Netherlands survived the early pressure. For Netherlands, it felt like a repeat of last evening as they piled up a whole host of circle entries, but each time it amounted to very little, as the Indian defence made sure it didn’t leave any passing lanes open for the Dutch strikers to make the final pass that would open up opportunities to score. The 4th quarter however saw the match swing again as Netherlands, desperate for an equalizer, started instituting a high press of their own. They finally managed to hassle and harry the Indian defence into conceding possession in their own half, and it led to a slew of penalty corners for the Dutch, as the Indian defence started showing signs of fatigue. Savita though kept the Indian lead intact with save after save from the penalty corners, but the Dutch were unrelenting. They finally got a goal back through captain Yibbi Jansen in the 54th minute, who finally got a lot of power behind one of her flicks and Savita couldn’t react in time to stop the ball sailing over her right shoulder. India had an instant opportunity to strike back though as they won a penalty corner of their own from the restart, and Gurjit, who had also been having trouble getting power behind her drag flicks, finally got one flying towards the Dutch goal, but the shot that looked destined to restore India’s lead, hit the post and Netherlands breathed a sigh of relief. The regular time expired without either team creating a big opportunity and the teams headed for a shoot-out. Netherlands went first and scored through Jansen who calmly slotted a second shot in after Savita had saved the first one. Jyoti and Neha missed the first two shoot-out attempts for India, while Fortuin scored the 2nd attempt as well for Netherlands, leaving India with a mountain to climb. Savita tried her best, saving Morgenstern’s shoot-out attempt and Navneet followed it up with a calmly taken goal of her own. But Barentsen scored the 4th attempt for Netherlands and another great save by Remmerswaal from Rajwinder’s attempt sealed India’s fate as Netherlands took the extra point from the contest. Marente Barentsen won the player of the match and spoke of the learnings the young Dutch team took from the two matches saying: “It was a tough loss yesterday, but we had created chances and it was the same today. So happy that as a young team we could improve and get a better result today.” Indian captain Savita wasn’t too disappointed with the result, saying: “Shoot-outs are a bit of a coin toss, and Netherlands were very clinical in their attempts today. Overall, the draw in regular time felt about right, because while we started well Netherlands were really attacking in the end so the draw was a fair result.”

Sports Bulletin Report ISLAMABAD:-Austria and Ireland leave it late to score winners, while Uruguay end Canada’s Junior World Cup journey. An energetic second half from Uruguay ended Canada’s Junior World Cup journey, while Austria and Ireland continued to enjoy beginners’ luck as the two debutant nations will now compete for a ninth place finish. The European team’s defeats of Korea and Malaysia respectively means the two Asian sides will be battling for eleventh place. Uruguay beat Canada 4-1 (13-15th place): After a first 30 minutes that saw these two Pan Am nations testing each other out, the match burst into life when Uruguay took a grasp of the match in the opening minutes of the second half. Pilar Oliveros opened the South American team’s account with a well-struck penalty corner and that body blow to the Canadian team was repeated three minutes later when Elisa Civetta scored the first of two goals. It was Civetta again in the 46th minute, when Uruguay won a penalty stroke. The in-form midfielder stepped up and struck the ball home sweetly. The game was put totally out of Canada’s reach in the final five minutes of the match as Manuela Vidal was able to latch onto a good pass and fire it home past Ishaval Sekhon to make it 4-0. Canada scored a consolation goal in the final minute of the game when Jenna Berger was able to find the back of the net after some good build-up play. Austria beat Zimbabwe 1-0 (9-12th place matches): The opening quarter was very much Austria’s in terms of possession as the European team seemed to have a better structure and focus in this match to decide who would play for 13-14th place. However, when it came to converting those chances, Austria just couldn’t find their way past Jenna Mathieson in the Zimbabwe goal. The closest opportunity fell to Nathalie Matousek, whose good work was spoilt when she flicked the ball straight at the keeper. With seconds left, Johanna Czech sent a penalty corner shot just past the goalpost. In the second quarter, the game evened out as Zimbabwe began to find their place on the pitch. Alexi Terreblanche was proving a stabilising force in midfield and some good running attacks were mounted on the back of her performance. Unfortunately for the African team, the forwards were not able to find a way into their opponent’s circle. During the half-time team talks, both Head Coaches asked their players to reduce the amount of turnovers and to be more efficient in the circle. Certainly Zimbabwe started in sparkling fashion. Within seconds they had broken through the Austrian defence and had their first meaningful shot. There was no score but it certainly signalled a higher level of intent. As the game continued with no goals being scored, frustration began to creep into both team’s performance. Austria’s Fiona Felber went on a  mazy run that earns her team a penalty corner, but once again Mathieson was able to watch the ball fly wide. The deadlock was finally broken in the 54th minute when Katharina Bauer pounced on a ball that had bobbled off a Zimbabwe stick. She took the ball wide on her reverse, which gave her space to fire home and give her side an all important goal. Once they had the goal, Austria showed their ability to manage a game well as they kept Zimbabwe’s desperate measures to equalise at bay. Ireland beat Malaysia 2-1 (9-12th place): This match started at a quick pace, with both sides showing full intent. Malaysia won an early penalty corner but Ireland’s swift count attack saw Christina Hamill race the length of the pitch before being dispossessed in the Malaysian circle. Ireland then won their own series of penalty corner opportunities, but like their Asian opponents, the players in green were unable to convert. That changed in the 13th minute when yet another speedy Irish counter attack saw Yasmin Pratt race into the Malaysia circle and slip the ball to Rachel Kelly who was on hand to strike the ball home to give Ireland a 1-0 lead. In the second quarter Ireland continued to press forward but found the Malaysian defence, led by Abang Dayang, was resolute in the face of the pressure. A great bit of improvised goalkeeping by Malaysia’s Mashitah Ab just pushed the ball out of Siofra O’Brien’s reach after the ‘keeper had missed the initial save. The desperate action was crucial in preventing Ireland extending their lead. A tricky, speedy run by Ireland’s Yasmin Pratt created yet another opportunity for Ireland but, if truth be told, for all the running between the circles, the decision-making and finishing of both sides left a lot to be desired and was the reason the score remained at just 1-0 in favour of the Irish at half time. Both teams came out for the second half knowing that 30 minutes stood between them and a ninth place finish. Ireland had the advantage of a 1-0 lead but knew Malaysia were always capable of turning this around. A spate of injuries to Malaysia seemed to galvanise the Asian team as they used guile and unconventional passing to create unease in the Irish defence. A searching run by Siti Husain led to a Malaysian penalty corner. The variation on the penalty corner was excellent but Ellie Mcloughlin in the Irish goal read the situation and cleared well. Malaysia continued to remind Ireland that they held a very slender lead as they put pressure on with a series of incursions into the Irish circle. And that truth came home in the first moments of the fourth quarter when Nuramirah Zulkifli received the ball in space and slammed it home to bring her team right back into the match. With six minutes left in the match, both teams raised the tempo, although at times the quality fell as a result. Turnovers and poor decisions meant that play bounced from end to end but with no result. Ireland in particular will be dismayed at the fact they had 40 circle penetrations in the match with only two goals. The game ended in high drama when a clever variation on a penalty corner in the dying seconds of the game gave the Junior Green Army the goal they needed to see them through to the 9-10th place encounter with fellow debutants Austria.

SPORTS BULLETIN REPORT Potchefstroom (South Africa):-Quarter-finals day produced four top class matches with some tremendous skills on display but the performance of the day was that of the German team as they put on a classy show to outgun reigning champions Argentina. India put in a dominating and professional performance to defeat Asian rivals Korea. India beat Korea 3-0 (quarter-final) – Potchefstroom, North West University (RSA) Efficiency in attack and speed of play and thought were the differences between these two teams as India showed immense composure and clinical finishing to secure their place in Monday’s semi-finals. Mumtaz Khan and Lalrindiki both found the back of the net in the first quarter. Khan’s goal was a fantastically worked penalty corner variation, which she deflected home past Kim Eunji in the Malaysia goal. Lalrindiki was the beneficiary after a shot from Deepika rebounded to her and she was perfectly placed to slot the ball home. At the other end of the pitch, the India defence was equally impressive, a brave, stretching tackle by Lalremsiami summed up the Eve’s commitment levels. For their part, Korea had no lack of ambition as they sought a way past the India defence, it was just that India looked a level ahead in every aspect of play. For much of the next two quarters, Korea tightened their defence and India were unable to capitalise on their opening goals. However, with five minutes left of the third quarter, we were offered a glimpse of the skill within the India team. An aerial into the circle found Beauty Dung, who actually miss-hit the ball but in doing so sent a perfect pass to Sangita, who had no hesitation in firing home. As the final quarter counted down, India were pouring on the pressure but it will be of concern to Head Coach Erik Wonink that no further goals were added despite a barrage of opportunities. Korea’s answer was to try to run the ball at the India defence, but they were always met by a solid India defence. Netherlands beat South Africa 5-0 (quarter-final) – Potchefstroom, North West University (RSA) The scoreline suggests a dominant performance but South Africa posed a challenge to the Netherlands throughout this quarter-final, with only their finishing in front of goal preventing a closer result. The Netherlands settled into business as usual when Jip Dicke added to her already impressive goal tally with a goal in the fourth minute. The goal was the result of a typical Dutch counter attack, with Dicke the final component in a sweeping movement between the players. However, they would have been taken aback by some of the brave and speedy running from the Africa players, as they were roared on by the unashamedly partisan crowd. Both Bianca Wood and Onthatile Zulu caused a buzz in the stadium as they weaved crazy paths through the Dutch defence. Both players were clearly disappointed that the final shots didn’t end in the back of the net. Dicke gave her team a cushion in the 15th minute when she pounced on a loose ball after a good initial save by Mishka Ellis from a Noor Omrani shot. Dicke pulled the ball out of the air to guide it home. This was Dicke’s twelfth goal of the games, keeping her firmly in the top scorers position. At the end of the first half, South Africa’s shots on goal tally was six, to Netherlands’ eight – the difference, as Head Coach Lenise Marais pointed out, was the finishing. At the start of the second half, South Africa had yet another chance to rattle the Dutch as they won their third penalty corner. This time, Hari Louw saw her rasping shot fly just wide of Sophia Ter Kuile’s post. Chances fell to both teams throughout the third quarter, with Dicke coming close to adding to her tally and Zulu’s devastating running creating a handful of scoring opportunities for South Africa. Things really heated up when an incredible double save by Sophia ter Kuile, first from the penalty corner shot and then from Chante Ferreira’s follow-up, continued to frustrate South Africa. The failure to convert was punished in the 43rd minute when Noor Omrani crashed a shot past Ellis to make it 3-0. Luna Fokke scored her first of the game in the final minute of the quarter when she sent home a fierce penalty corner. The fourth quarter saw Netherlands start to contain the free-running threat of the South Africa team. As energy levels sapped, the Dutchbegan to manage the game well, as they passed the ball round and challenged the South Africans to chase the ball. Omrani nearly scored another wonder goal as her creative lifted shot just went over the crossbar. The coup de grace was issued by Luna Fokke who hit the ball from a penalty corner straight down the pitch at a lightening speed to beat Ellis and rattle the back board. England beat USA 2-1 (quarter-final) – Potchefstroom, North West University (RSA) USA got off to a fabulous start when they took the lead through Ashley Sessa in the third minute. The energy from the team was palpable as they took the game to their opponents in the opening exchanges and the penalty corner that resulted in a goal was slick and well-rehearsed. It was Sessa who came closest to increasing the scoreline. She showed enormous skill to create space to enable a lifted shot at goal - England goalkeeper Mila Welch could only watch and hope as the ball just scraped over the crossbar. The second quarter saw England come back strongly with Maddy Axford at the heart of the England attack. Two consecutive penalty corners for England out pressure on the USA defence and then on the third attempt, England captain Millie Giglio washable to create the space to whip home a reverse stick shot that went straight through the pads of USA goalkeeper Welch. The score remained at 1-1 to the half-time whistle but it was far from a  dull game. Both teams played with real energy and commitment, probably best personified by a full length diving interception from USA captain Kayla Blas just as Vicki McCabe was lining up to shoot. As the second half progressed, England began to gain a hold on the game. They were spending more time in the USA defensive quarter but each attempt to get into the circle was met by a resolute USA defence. With six minutes of the third quarter left, the game opened up and both sides found themselves with opportunities. First the Abigail Tamer of USA sped up the field to win a penalty corner but the shot went just wide. Seconds later and Giglio was in a superb position to give her team the lead but she took too long with her shot and it was smothered by the USA goalkeeper Annabel Skubisz. Giglio and Skubisz continued to have their own personal battle, with the ‘keeper blocking the England skipper’s progress twice more in the dying stages of the third quarter. The breakthrough, when it came in the 44th minute, was the result of some great running by Vicki McCabe. The forward won a free hit and ran at full pace into the USA circle. Her cross landed perfectly for Maddie Axford to nudge home. As the teams emerged for the final 15 minutes, there was a real sense that this game was still anyone’s for the taking. USA had the chance to equalise in the 56th minute but England’s goalkeeper Evie Wood made a magnificent stop with an outstretched foot. With two minutes left, USA removed their keeper in an attempt to pressure England with an additional field player. The pressure on England mounted and Sessa drew another good save from Wood. With just seconds left, USA won one last penalty corner. 11 USA athletes lined up around the top of the circle but Wood was the hero as she cleared the shot defiantly out of the circle to send her team through to the semi-finals. Germany beat Argentina 4-1 (quarter-final) – Potchefstroom, North West University (RSA) It was action all the way as Argentina and Germany played out a tense and entertaining match that twisted and turned to the final whistle. Germany took the lead in the 11th minute after a series of penalty corners, and an Argentina defence that had been reduced to three on the line. Pauline Heinz was the scorer, lifting a rebound over Lourdes Perez in the Argentina goal. Argentina then won a penalty stroke, but Mali Wichmann in the German goal was equal to the challenge and made a fine save. Just three minutes into the second quarter, Argentina were stunned when Carlotta Sippel doubled Germany’s lead after Heinz sent a cross into the circle and Sippel deflected it home. Argentina kept pushing and Valentina Raposa’s fierce shot was saved by Wichmann, who was playing a huge role in maintaining her side’s lead. That lead was extended when Lilly Stoffelsma scored another penalty corner, rifling her shot straight down the circle past Perez. Despite being 3-0 down, Argentina looked far from beaten. Wichmann was brought into action time and again but even she couldn’t stop the clever deflection from penalty corner injector Maria Cerundolo after Valentina Raposo hit the initial shot with pinpoint accuracy back to Cerundolo as she ran to the goal. Germany reclaimed the three goal cushion when Aina Kresken scored a fantastic goal to give her side a 4-1 lead. The ball was played straight down the pitch and Kresken received, turned and fired home. As the third quarter progressed, there was a definite change in atmosphere. While the German players were looking confident and composed, Argentina were beginning to look like a team who had lost their self belief. The team in blue and white continued to run at the German defence but they lacked team cohesion, with individuals trying to run through. This meant the German defenders could pick the individual players off easily. With fifteen minutes left, this was now all down to whether Germany could continue to withstand the Argentina pressure. As the quarter progressed, the tempo of the German team dropped slightly but still Argentina could find no way through. A rasping penalty corner in the 54th minute from Maria Adorno was saved by Wichmann and then, seconds later, the tall goalkeeper was down low, preventing the ball creeping in at the far post. Argentina removed their goalkeeper with five minutes left and pushed forwards but Germany were giving a masterclass in defending and game management and there was no way through for the reigning champions.

Raja Hafeez Lausanne, Switzerland: The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has approved the qualification pathway for the Paris 2024 Olympic hockey tournaments, as submitted by the International Hockey Federation (FIH). The qualification process per gender will be as follows: Host Nation: 1 team (on the basis that both teams – Men and Women - have satisfied the FIH criteria of achieving a ranking of 25 or better in the FIH World Rankings since the end of the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, which is the case for both French teams) Continental Qualifications: 5 teams The winning team of each of the following continental competitions will qualify: African Hockey Road to Paris 2023 Pan American Games 2023 Asian Games 2022 EuroHockey Championship 2023 Oceania Cup 2023 FIH Hockey Olympic Qualification Tournaments: 6 teams There will be 2 FIH Hockey Olympic Qualification tournaments, consisting of 8 teams each (16 teams in total), held in early 2024. The number of teams from each Continent participating in these tournaments will be based on Continental quotas, which will be determined according to the FIH World Rankings on 31 January 2023. The teams filling each quota, and therefore invited to participate, will be based on performance at the Continental Championships. The top 3 teams in each of these tournaments will qualify. FIH CEO Thierry Weil said: “On behalf of FIH, I’d like to extend our sincerest thanks to the IOC for having approved the qualification pathway that we suggested. This will provide for absolutely thrilling matches all over the world, which is wonderful for athletes and fans alike”.

Sports Bulletin Report POTCHEFSTROOM (South Africa):- Austria, Argentina, India and Germany have won their matches in the FIH Women’s Junior Hockey World Cup 2022 at North West University Potchefstroom South Africa. Austria beat Korea 1-0 Although a draw would have sufficed for them to continue to the quarter-finals, Korea started the game with a keen intent to win three points. However, it was Austria who had the first real attempt at goal, when Sabrina Hruby won a penalty corner. The ensuing shot from Helene Herzog was well saved by Kim Eunji but this was a signal that Austria were determined to finish the pool phase in style. What followed was a game of back and forth hockey but with no goals to reward the efforts. Austria enjoyed the greater spells of possession but were unable to make the pressure count. Korea, for their part began to slow their game and sought to take the sting out of Austria’s attacking moves. One of the best chances in the third quarter fell to Austria’s Isabella Klausbruckner as a searching ball was played into the Korea circle but Klausbruckner was unable to finish and the frustration was etched on her face. As the third quarter counted down, the Korean side started to up the ante and a sense of urgency entered their passing. A penalty corner was fired over the Austrian cross bar and Austria found themselves needing to defend with commitment. As the teams came out for the fourth quarter this was a match that could clearly go either way. Austria were playing with a structure and confidence that had been missing in their earlier pool matches. Korea, for their part, needed to play with more ambition as they lacked the edge to their attack necessary to break through the Austria defence. The match was resolved in the 56th minute when Herzog found the back of the net after yet more good build-up play from Austria. The result left Korea dependent on the result between Argentina and Uruguay to discover if they had done enough to seal a plan in the quarter-finals. With Argentina winning 4-0, the Korea side were able to breathe a sigh of relief and begin preparations for a quarter-final. Argentina beat Uruguay 4-0 Uruguay entered this match knowing they needed to either win, draw or not concede three goals in order to make the quarter-finals. For Argentina, this was a chance to seal top spot and prepare for the quarter-finals. It had all the ingredients for an exciting encounter between the two South American teams. However, any hope that Uruguay had of making the final eight in their first appearance at this competition was dealt two swift blows in the opening quarter as both Sol Pagella and Valentina Raposo found the net. Pagella’s goal was an example of fabulous individual goals while Raposo made no mistake from a penalty stroke four minutes later. Uruguay were not without their chances. Agustina Martinez had come close to giving her side the lead but Ana Dodorico in the Argentina goal was up to the challenge and cleared safely. Maria Adorno added a third in the 21st minute after a scramble in the circle saw the ball bounce around like a pinball. Eventually Adorno latched onto a bouncing ball to give her side a 3-0 lead. This was a big blow to Uruguay as the scoreline now meant Korea would take second spot in Pool C. The situation meant all or nothing for the Uruguay team. The third quarter was goalless as Uruguay sought to break through the Argentina defence. For their part, Argentina dug in and focused on their defence structure. The final goal came after a great run down the line and finishing shot from Cataline Andrade, who had put in a match-winning performance all game. India beat Malaysia 4-0 India scored the 100th goal of this Women’s Junior World Cup as they took a firm hold in the match with Malaysia. The goal, scored by Mumtaz Khan in the 10th minute, was the result of a swift counter-attack. To that point, Malaysia had been putting their higher ranked rivals under pressure. However, India are a team that can counter attack and strike quickly and Khan’s goal was rapidly followed by a second scored by Sangita Kumari, when she was on hand to deflect a pass home. India nearly scored a third when Deepika’s fearsome penalty corner struck the post. Malaysia’s goalkeeper Siti Nasir breathed a sigh of relief as the ball bounced away. A third goal was inevitable as India continued to pile on the pressure. Malaysia were chasing the ball and signs of fatigue were becoming obvious as mistakes began to creep into their play. Lalrindiki was the scorer: pouncing on a chance after a penalty corner had been defended by the Malaysian defence. The third quarter saw the Malaysia goalkeeper Siti Nasir play heroically to keep the score at 3-0. Despite multiple Indian attacks, Nasir stood strong. As the match moved towards its conclusion, India continued to create chances to extend their lead. However, despite a spate of penalty corners, Malaysia showed enormous resilience and Head Coach Erik Wonink will be concerned at the poor conversion rate. The Malaysia defence finally crumbled when India scored from yet another speedy counter attack. Germany beat Wales 8-0 Germany raced to a 3-0 lead in the first quarter of this match. The goal spree was started by Jette Fleschütz, who was given space to fire a shot past Ffion Horrell in the Welsh goal. The next two goals came in quick succession. Sophie Schwabe tucked the ball home after it was crossed from the left hand side of the circle and then Carlotta Sippel fired home a fabulous shot into the top corner of the goal. A quieter second quarter saw Wales defending with better structure and Germany were confident enough to change the tempo of their own game and play the ball around rather than heading straight for goal. The German goal-scoring machine resumed with Fleschütz scoring her second – an absolute rocket of a reverse stick shot into the top of the Welsh goal. The fifth goal was clinical and precise. The ball was taken down the left-hand side and then some fast, nifty passing culminated in Verena Neumann slotting home. Wales won their first penalty corner of the game in the final 10 minutes of the game. In the face of such German dominance, this in itself was a small victory for the Welsh team. A great advantage by the umpire as the ball bounced off a Welsh foot in the circle allowed Pauline Heinz to pounce on the loose ball and fire it home to give her team a 6-0 lead. The final two goals were scored by Carlotta Sippel, with a shot from the top of the circle and Stine Kurz with Germany’s only penalty corner goal of the match. FIH Hockey Women’s Junior World Cup (Results, Day-5): Austria beat Korea 1- 0 Player of the Match: Helene Herzog (AUT) Umpires: Maria Locatelli (ARG), Victoria Pazos (PAR), Ines El Hajem (FRA - reserve) Argentina beat Uruguay 4- 0 Player of the Match: Maria Adorno (ARG) Umpires: Alison Keogh (IRL), Sophie Bockelmann (GER), Gema Calderon (ESP -reserve) India beat Malaysia 4-0 Player of the Match: Salima Tete (IND) Umpires: Ivona Makar (CRO), Rebecca Woodcock (ENG), Catalina Montesino (CHI - reserve) Germany beat Wales 8-0 Player of the Match: Jette Fleschütz (GER) Umpires: Kim Yoon Seon (KOR), Wanri Venter (RSA), Celine Martin-Schmets (BEL  - reserve)

Sports Bulletin Report Potchefstroom (South Africa):-Hosts South Africa defeated Ireland 1-0 in a nervy Pool B clash that would decide who progressed to the quarter-finals of the FIH Women’s Junior Hockey World Cup 2022 at North-West University Potchefstroom, South Africa. South Africa beat Ireland 1-0 The delight on the faces of the South Africa team as the final whistle blew told the whole story. Although not the most convincing of victories, the host nation had sealed a spot in the quarter-finals. The first half in this important match between the host nation South Africa and Junior World Cup debutants Ireland was spirited and fast-paced although both sides suffered from making multiple unforced errors. With England sealing top spot in Pool B, this match would decide who would join them in the quarter-finals and nerves were clearly having an impact on both sets of players. It was South Africa who found the breakthrough on the stroke of half-time. The goal, by the highly influential defender Jean-Leigh du Toit, was from a penalty corner, earned after a good run by Cailynn Den Bakker drew a defensive error. Ireland pushed hard after the break for the equaliser but it was South Africa who looked the more composed across the pitch and the more dangerous on the attack. Du Toit nearly added to her tally when a series of four well-worked variations on the penalty corner routine put the Irish defence under all sorts of pressure, which they weathered with gritty determination. Ireland had a penalty corner opportunity with five minutes left in the match but the shot went agonisingly wide of Mishka Ellis’ goal post. As the clock ticked down, the sense of urgency became palpable. Ireland’s Amy Elliot made a good run into the South Africa circle but was met by the excellent Ellis who was letting nothing past her. Netherlands beat Zimbabwe 18-0 Two breaks in play due to stormy weather couldn’t prevent the Zimbabwe team falling before a goal-hungry Dutch team. In a match that saw goals in every quarter, the Dutch beat their own goal record at a Junior World Cup [also against Zimbabwe in 1989] and also saw three different players score hat tricks. The best efforts of Jenna Mathieson [in the first three quarters] and Lavender Mandoza [in the final quarter] in the Zimbabwe goal couldn’t stop an onslaught that began with Luna Fokke in the third minute and ended 17 goals later, with Mette Winter turning the ball neatly into the goal. The best goal, in an avalanche of creative goals came from the stick of Maria Steensma. The ball was cleverly flicked high over the onrushing ‘keeper’s head by captain Rosa Fernig and Steensma was on hand to control and steer the ball over the line. When Zimbabwe did start an attack the Dutch showed they were no slouches in defence either. The speedy Zimbabwe forwards, in particular Tinodiwanashe Elijah, were halted with crushing efficiency by the wall of orange shirts in midfield or defence. USA beat Canada 4-0 It was USA who drew first blood in the final match of Day 4 as Riley Donnelly showed real composure to turn and shoot in the eighth minute. Certainly the USA team started the game the strongest of these two Pan Am rivals. Canada knew they needed a good start if they were to have any hope of winning by the necessary margin and this showed in their tentative approach to the first quarter. USA had a chance to double the score early in the second quarter but the Canadians breathed a sigh of relief as the USA team failed to capitalise on a golden chance to score. Canada began to make their own chances as the quarter counted down. Their pressure won them two penalty corners. Lauren Wadas made a good save off the line for the first attempt and the second shot flew wide. Canada continued to have the momentum and Allison Kuzyk unleashed a shot that would have flown into the back of the net but for some brave defending by the USA defensive unit. Good running by Samantha McCory earns Canada a penalty corner in the final minute of the first half, but once again a resilient USA defence prevented Canada scoring a moral boosting equaliser. Despite continued good build-up by Canada throughout the third quarter, it was USA who scored again. Caroline Ramsey was the beneficiary as her penalty corner shot was deflected into the net by a Canada defender. One of the key components of the USA performance was the unrelenting energy of Ashley Sessa. The USA forward was ceaseless in her running and, had her teammates been on the same page, the lead could have been greater. The fourth quarter saw Canada looking more desperate for a goal and a way back into the game. As a result, more opportunities opened up for USA. Lindsay Dickinson thought she had scored a third but her fierce shot hit the post. The third goal for USA came minutes later. Charlotte de Vries topped a mazy dribble with a neat little through ball to Hope Rose. Rose snuck in front of the defender to pop the ball into the Canada goal, past the flailing kicker of Ishaval Sekhon. The icing on the cake for USA came when Charlotte de Vries scored from a penalty corner with a straightforward and perfectly placed slap shot.

Sports Bulletin Report ISLAMABAD:-India and England played out another thriller as a back and forth match saw 7 goals, all from penalty corners, 4-3 in favour of India. England took an early lead in the match as they had done last night. But India went back level through Manpreet and never trailed again. India’s Harmanpreet Singh scored a hat-trick notching his 100th goal for India and while England twice managed to reduce the deficit to 1 goal, they could not find a leveller and India took all 3 points. India vs England (men) - Kalinga Stadium, Bhubaneswar (IND) England coach Zak Jones spoke before the game about the threat India posed from the Penalty Corners and after a terrific effort from his team in yesterday’s game on that front, the floodgates opened up today as India won 10 of them, converting from 4, to snatch a win in another thrilling contest that kept the fans on the edge of their seats till the 60th minute once again. The game started much more evenly, but England once again got the first goal through an innovative penalty corner that was deflected in by Sanford, who scored his first ever international goal for England. India countered back with a similar routine from a penalty corner routine and scored via Manpreet Singh who got his first goal since 2019. Two more penalty corners from India in a dominant 2nd quarter saw Harmanpreet give India a 3-1 lead into the half time, but the English team never stopped believing. England crucially got the first goal of the second half through a Sam Ward drag flick from a penalty corner that took a touch from David Condon and went in. India then struck back, once again through Harmanpreet Singh who competed his hat-trick with a vicious flick into the bottom left corner. England weren’t done though and stuck back in the very next minute to set up a tense final quarter. India refused to stay back and looked for a goal to double their lead in the final quarter, but neither team got many opportunities in the final 15. England removed their keeper in the final minutes and tried a repeat of last night’s game where they equalised with 12 seconds left on the clock, but the Indian defence led by Harmanpreet and captain Amit Rohidas dealt with the threats well and India emerged victorious, taking all 3 points today and 5 out of the possible 6 from the two contests against England. Netherlands vs USA (women) - Wagener Hockey Stadium, Amstelveen (NED) Netherlands team spoke yesterday about the difficulty of scoring against a packed defence of USA, while the Americans promised a more attacking performance today. USA delivered on their promise with an attempt to play a lot higher up the pitch through the game, committing big numbers to each attacking opportunity, but they couldn’t breach the Dutch defence. Netherlands however showcased how dangerous they are in attack when their opponent gives them any room at all. A 10-0 scoreline rarely signifies positives for both teams, but having tried an extremely defensive strategy yesterday, USA will take positives from their different approach to today’s game. They didn’t get a goal for their efforts, but they did manage to force Dutch keeper Josine Koning into a couple of saves. Netherlands were relentless in their attacks and the open spaces behind the American defence provided them with ample opportunities. A total of 6 players got on the scoresheet for the Netherlands, with player of the match Yibbi Jansen scoring a hat-trick from penalty corners, while Joosje Boorg and Frederique Matla scored a brace each. Matla especially had a great game creating plenty of chances for her team, getting 2 assists in the game to go with her two goals. Kelsey Bing once again put in a stellar performance for USA, pulling off brilliant saves throughout the game, but with 58 total circle penetrations and 22 shots from the Dutch, there was not much more she could do to keep the Americans in the game.