Germany will face The Netherlands in the Final of the Women’s
World League Semi Finals in Rotterdam on Saturday. In case you are new to
reading about this competition, perhaps we should explain that the purpose of
the Semi Finals is to find four sides to go forward to the Finals in Argentina
in a few months time. The other four will come from the Semi-Finals to be held
in London, starting on Saturday. So the finals of this tournament are not the
finals of the World League!
Germany qualified for the final by virtue of a tight
semi-final match against Korea. Germany were trailing 2-1 right up until the
closing four minutes, after initially taking the lead from a Lydia Haase
penalty corner late in the first half. Two second half goals from Seul Ki Cheon
had put Korea ahead, but Germany’s recovery came after a Julia Muller penalty
corner conversion put the scores at 2-2. In the dying minutes Eileen Hoffman
score the winner. Final score, 2-3 to Germany.
The Netherlands had a comparatively easier time against New
Zealand, the Dutch going 3-0 ahead after only 16 minutes via Margot Van Geffen,
Kim Lammers and Kelly Jonker. New Zealand’s Petrea Webster managed to pull one
back just before the break, but the Dutch continued their scoring in the second
half with a second goal from Kim Lammers and a goal from Kitty Van Male. New Zealand scored a late consolation goal,
courtesy of Katie Glynn, and the matched ended 5-2 to The Netherlands.
New Zealand will play Korea in the bronze medal match on
Saturday.
Earlier in the day the matches took place to decide places
five to eight. Japan scored two in each
half against India to win the match 0-4. Japan’s scorers were Ayaka Nishimura,
Shiho Otsuka (2) and Yuri Nagai.
Japan will play the winner of the match between Belgium and
Chile. Although rank outsiders, and
without a win to their name, Chile have brought off the occasional surprise,
and today’s was Josefa Villalabeita’s 18th minute goal, cancelling
out Erica Copey’s earlier effort.
Belgium went ahead again, thanks to a Anne-Sphie De Scheemaere goal
eight minutes before half time. Belgium
increased their lead to 3-1 early in the second half, but managed to gift Chile
an own goal six minutes later. The only remaining goal of the match was a
second from Coppey. Final score 4-2 to
Belgium.
Overall it was a day for a sprinkling of cards to be handed
out. Kitty Van Male and Carlien Dirks Van Den Heuvel found themselves on the
naughty seat during the Netherlands v New Zealand match, as did Belgium’s
Lieselotte Van Lindt and Alix Gerniers, and Japan’s Miyuka Nakagawa. There were also eight green cards handed out
during the four matches.
The finals and other matches in the women’s tournament will
be played on Saturday. The men’s semi
finals will take place tomorrow.
