England’s men have played two matches against Germany in
Mannheim over the weekend as part of their preparations for the World League
Semi-Finals in Malaysia. Both were
originally scheduled as training matches but have been re-classified as capped
games. On Saturday England suffered a 5-2 defeat, both England goals coming
from Tom Carson. England had better fortune today (Sunday), winning their match
3-2, with two goals from Mark Gleghorne and one from Henry Weir.
The last matches in the pool stage of the Women’s World
League Semi-Finals in Rotterdam threw up no real surprises today, although
Japan were to give Korea a bit of a scare.
Japan went 3-1 ahead by the break, with goals from Miyuki
Nakagawa, Hazui Nagai and Ayaka Nishimura. Korea’s Sun Soon Park managed to
pull one back in the 30th minute from a penalty corner conversion. But the second half was all Korea’s, with Mi
Hyun Park scoring from a penalty corner, Young Ran Kim converting a penalty
stroke, and Hyo Ju An scoring the winner from open play with less than two
minutes left on the clock. Final score
3-4 to Korea.
There were two high scoring matches today and the other Pool
A match was one of them. Rank outsiders Chile were given a hockey masterclass
by The Netherlands. On the scoresheet were Sabine Mol (2), Eva De Goede,
Maartje Paumen (3), Ellen Hoog (2) and Kelly Jonker (2). The final score, 10-0, and The Netherlands
finish top of the Pool A table, one point ahead of Korea.
The other high scoring game was between India and Germany in
Pool B. First half goals from Janne Muller-Wieland, Maike Stockel and Marie
Mavers, saw Germany take a first half lead. India struck back early in the
second half when Vandana Katariya converted a penalty corner, but Germany
scored four more times to win the match 1-7, with a second goal from Stockel,
and goals from Jennifer Plass, Lydia Haase and Hannah Kruger.
The other Pool B match ended in a 4-2 win for New Zealand
over Belgium. New Zealand’s scorers were Krystal Forgesson, Kayla Sharland,
Gemma Flynn and Katie Glynn. New Zealand had gone 4-0 ahead before Louise
Versavel and Erica Copey were able to score for Belgium, Copey’s goal coming in
the last two minutes.
Germany lead Pool A as the only team to have maximum points
at the end of the pool stages of the tournament. New Zealand are in second place, three points
behind them.
The next matches in the women’s tournament are on Tuesday
and are described as the Quarter Finals. The first place team in each pool
plays the bottom placed team in the other pool. The second placed side plays
the third placed side in the other pool. The winners go through to play in the
semi finals on Thursday. Tuesday’s
matches are (in order of play), The Netherlands v India, New Zealand v Japan,
Germany v Chile and Korea v Belgium.
The final pool matches in the men’s tournament will be
played tomorrow. Belgium, who are
leading Pool A will play Spain, whilst the two leaders in Pool B, New Zealand
and The Netherlands, will play India and Ireland respectively.
