SB REPORT
Tokyo (August 2, 2021):-India women produced the performance of their lives to claim a stunning quarter-final victory over Pool B winners Australia, with the team that finished fourth in Pool A to be guarenteed a first top four finish at an Olympic Games since Moscow 1980.
Gurjit Kaur scored the only goal of the game as India, who finished 12th in the standings at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, ensured their ambition of medalling in Tokyo was kept alive and kicking.
India’s opponents in the semi-finals will be Argentina, who defeated the much-fancied Germany in the day’s first quarter-final. Goals for Agustina Albertarrio, Victoria Granatto and rising star Valentina Raposo earned Las Leonas a comprehensive 3-0 victory over the much-fancied Germany, eliminating the team that finished second in Pool A to march into the semi-finals.
It is the fifth time that Argentina’s women have reached the final four of the Olympic Games, having medalled on each of the four previous occasions (silver – Sydney 2000, London 2012; bronze – Athens 2004, Beijing 2008).
The two remaining women’s quarter-finals – the Netherlands versus New Zealand and Spain versus Great Britain – will take place this evening. The women’s semi-finals will take place on Wednesday 4th August.
Quarter-finals
Germany 0-3 Argentina
Argentina were worthy winners of their quarter-final against Germany, with the team that finished 3rd in Pool B claiming their place in the semi-finals by defeating the 2nd ranked team from Pool A.
Las Leonas produced arguably their best performance of the competition to overpower Die Danas, a team many saw as potential medallists here in Tokyo thanks to a European silver medal and four wins out of five in their pool.
The giants of Pan American hockey were largely dominant in the first two quarters but excellent defending from Germany kept them at bay until the final three minutes of the second period, with Agustina Albertarrio’s close range tip-in and Victoria Granatto’s angled penalty corner deflection establishing a 2-0 lead.
Germany gave everything they had to get back into the contest but goal-scoring chances came and went before Argentina put the result beyond all doubt with eight minutes of the match remaining. The goal came from the stick of 18-year-old defender Valentina Raposo – one of the breakout stars of Tokyo 2020 – who smashed a blistering penalty corner strike against the Germany backboard.
"I can't believe it”, said Argentina’s Victoria Granatto, referring to scoring in an Olympic quarter-final. “Every player who scores it's a great moment for us and today was for me. But I think we did a very, very good game and all the team needs to be happy for this because we fight till the end."
Germany’s Franzisca Hauke, who announced her international retirement, said: “We are so disappointed. We had the goal to win a medal in Tokyo and it didn't work out. We haven't been at our best today and that's what makes us really sad because we could do better. And if you do your best game and you lose, it's not that disappointing like it is now.”
Australia 0-1 India
India’s women are now certain to at least match their highest ever finish at an Olympic Games after recording the biggest shock of the competition to beat the Hockeyroos of Australia. A fourth-place finish at Moscow 1980 was India’s previous best, although they have good reason to set their sights even higher this time around.
India, who lost their first three matches of the competition and finished fourth in Pool A, matched runaway Pool B winners Australia throughout the first two quarters, and came closest to breaking the deadlock when Rani’s angled deflection rattled the right post as lively Indian attackers caused real problems for the Hockeyroos’ defence.
Australia certainly had their chances, with India goalkeeper Savita being tested numerous times before the Asians snatched a shock lead when Gurjit Kaur’s penalty corner drag-flick somehow found its way into the bottom right corner.
The Hockeyroos threw everything they had at India in the latter stages, winning numerous penalty corner opportunities. However, India – with goalkeeper Savita in truly inspired form – stopped the three times Olympic gold medallists from getting the goal they so desperately needed, with India’s women matching the achievement of their men’s team by reaching the final four for the first time in over 40 years.
“I don't know what to say because emotions are too high at the moment, and we all are very happy because it was not an easy game to win from Australia", said elated India captain Rani. "But I'm super proud of my team; each one of them really worked so hard throughout the game. And we just said one thing to each other, 'Just believe in ourselves, we can do this well.'”
Hockeyroos captain Edwina Bone said: "There's all sorts of emotions that are going on. Disappointment, but I'm still really proud of the way that we played today. We came in with lots of momentum, we created lots of opportunities and unfortunately that's how sport goes sometimes. It can be cruel and today just wasn't our day unfortunately."
The evening matches begin at 18:30 as reigning World, European and FIH Hockey Pro League champions the Netherlands (1st Pool A) face Oceania continental champions New Zealand (4th Pool B) before Spain (2nd Pool B) and Great Britain (3rd Pool A) go head-to-head at 21:00.
Day 10 (Evening): The semi-final line-up for the women’s Hockey competition of the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 has been revealed, with the Netherlands and Great Britain joining Argentina and surprise package India in the final four.
The Netherlands – the reigning World, European and FIH Hockey Pro League champions – powered to their sixth win on the bounce in Tokyo with a 3-0 quarter-final victory over New Zealand, with Lidewij Welten, Frederique Matla and Lauren Stam on target as the Oranje confirmed a seventh successive appearance in the medal matches.
The Dutch will face Rio 2016 gold medallists Great Britain in the semi-final, with GB sealing their place with a drama-filled shoot-out victory against Spain. As she did against the Netherlands in that famous final in Rio de Janeiro five years ago, goalkeeper Maddie Hinch produced a sensational goalkeeping performance to save all of Spain’s shoot-out attempts as GB won 2-0.
Earlier in the day, India women produced the performance of their lives to claim a stunning quarter-final victory over Pool B winners Australia, with the team that finished fourth in Pool A now guaranteed their first top four finish at an Olympic Games since Moscow 1980. Gurjit Kaur scored the only goal of the game as India, who finished 12th in the standings at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, ensured their ambition of medalling in Tokyo was kept alive and kicking.
India’s semi-final opponents will be Argentina, who defeated the much-fancied Germany in the day’s first quarter-final. Goals for Agustina Albertarrio, Victoria Granatto and rising star Valentina Raposo earned Las Leonas a comprehensive 3-0 victory over Die Danas, eliminating the team that finished second in Pool A to march into the semi-finals.
Across both the men’s and women’s Hockey competitions, teams from seven different nations representing four continents have qualified for the semi-finals here at Tokyo 2020 - India (2), Great Britain, Netherlands, Argentina, Australia, Germany and Belgium.
Netherlands 3-0 New Zealand
Having won all five of their matches in Pool B, the Netherlands started their quarter-final clash with New Zealand in assured fashion, dominating the Black Sticks and scoring goals in each of the first two quarters to firmly take control.
Lidewij Welten got the ball rolling in the seventh minute when she tapped home after fine work down the right from Laurien Leurink, who worked her way along the backline before sending the perfect pass into the path of her onrushing team-mate.
That lead was extended in the second quarter by Frederique Matla’s perfectly placed penalty stroke, which was awarded after Caia van Maasakker’s penalty corner drag-flick hit the body of a New Zealand defender on the goal-line.
The third and final goal for the Netherlands came from the stick of Lauren Stam, sending a penalty corner drag-flick into the goal via the left glove of New Zealand goalkeeper Grace O’Hanlon.
“I’m very happy that we won with the team and got to the semi-finals”, said Netherlands goal-scorer Lauren Stam, who is competing in her first Olympic Games, after the contest. “Of course, it is really nice to score an Olympic goal as well. I have ‘goosebumps’, as you say in English. I’m excited about everything [here in Tokyo], about the [Athlete’s] Village, the Olympics; I’m very honoured to play here.”
Commenting on the emotions of losing their quarter-final match, New Zealand captain Stacey Michelsen said: "Pretty heart-breaking. We were a little bit disappointed with the way that we came through the pools, and we obviously set ourselves up for a very difficult quarter-final against the world No.1. But we were excited for the game, we put everything out there and we certainly worked hard as a team, but unfortunately it just wasn't enough against a better side today.”
Spain 2-2 Great Britain (0-2 After Shoot-Out)
The quarter-final between Spain and Great Britain was fiercely contested from start to finish, with the Red Sticks proving equals to the reigning champions – 3-1 winners against Spain at the same stage at the Rio 2016 Games – throughout this thrilling, high-octane contest.
The two teams went hard from the very first whistle, showing incredible bravery in the battle to keep their Olympic title hopes on track. It was Great Britain who edged ahead early in the second quarter when Hannah Martin’s quick hands allowed her to move past three Spanish defenders before firing a diving slap-shot between the legs of Spain goalkeeper Maria Ruiz.
Martin’s wonderful solo goal was cancelled out three minutes later by a perfectly executed Spanish penalty corner routine, with Belen Iglesias sending an angled deflection inside the left post.
Great Britain retook the lead in the third quarter when Grace Balsdon launched a penalty corner drag-flick into the top right corner of the Spanish goal. Spain hit back yet again, with Berta Bonastre showing superb skills to control a high ball before lifting it over the head of the helpless Maddie Hinch to force a shoot-out.
GB’s shot-stopper Hinch was exceptional in the shoot-out, stopping all four Spain’s attempts on goal, with Hannah Martin and Sarah Jones scoring what proved to be decisive goals as the title holders booked their ticket to the semi-finals.
Tuesday 3rd August is men’s semi-final day at the Oi Hockey Stadium, with the four highest ranked teams in the world all fighting it out for the chance to reach the gold medal match. At 10:30 (JST), India men will look to move one step closer to a ninth Olympic title when they take on reigning World and FIH Hockey Pro League champions Belgium. The evening match will be played at 19:00 and will see 2004 Olympic gold medallists taking on four times winners Germany. The two teams met in the semi-final stage of the London 2012 Olympic Games, with the Kookaburras looking to avenge the 4-2 defeat suffered at the hands of eventual champions Germany.
