To see the current standings, please click here.
Austria 1-0 Korea (Pool C) – Potchefstroom, North West University (RSA)
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.
The Korea Head Coach Moon Ki Yoo said: ‘We were unlucky today. We had a few chances but we didn’t succeed in converting them. Now we will prepare for our next match.’
Player of the Match Helene Herzog (AUT) said: ‘We are so happy! It was just perfect teamwork. We fought from the first to the last minute and I think it was just really, really well done from the whole team. On the goal, I saw the opportunity, no one was around me, on the top of the circle, I just took my chance and it worked. It was amazing!’
The result means that Korea will play India in the quarter-finals while Austria will play Wales in the 9-15th place matches.
Argentina 4-0 Uruguay (Pool C) – Potchefstroom, North West University (RSA)
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.
Speaking after the game, Player of the Match Maria Adorno said: ‘I think we played a good match with a lot of positive things. The award is for the team because they were a great group. I scored a goal and I was happy for it, but this was a team performance.’
The fact that Argentina had 20 shots on goal and only made four count will be of some concern to Head Coach Fernando Ferrara of Argentina, although he was focused on his team’s defensive performance:’It is important that we haven’t conceded any goals. Although it was good to score goals, we always pay attention to our defensive play.’
For Uruguay’s Head Coach Andreas Vazquez there was much to take from a game against a team of such calibre on such a big stage: ‘We tried to do our best. We played a great team and we did some things well and we made some mistakes. But we are learning to play World Cup matches. We created some chances and we played a better second half. Now we need to keep pushing.’
The result means Argentina will face Germany in the quarter-finals, while Uruguay will play Malaysia in the 9-15th place matches.
Malaysia 0-4 India (Pool D) – Potchefstroom, North West University (RSA)
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.
Player of the Match and India captain Salima Tete said: ‘I am very happy for the team. Of course Malaysia were a good side but we played very well to beat them.’
India Head Coach Erik Wonink said: ‘I want to see our team attacking with speed so I thought that was beautiful. We are happy with three early goals. And we had a clean sheet, I am very happy with that and now we are ready for the next step.’
Malaysia’s Head Coach Nasihim Ibrahim said: ’I am very happy because we improve game by game. They tried their hearts out but India were too good. We will take what we learnt from that and take it to the next match.’
The result means Malaysia will face the challenge of Uruguay in the 9-15th place play-offs while India will play Asian rivals Korea in the quarter-finals.
Germany 8-0 Wales (Pool D) – Potchefstroom, North West University (RSA)
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.
Talking about her two goal haul, Player of the Match Jette Fleschütz said: ’I just shot and it worked. The most important thing is that we have qualified for the quarter-finals.’
Germany’s Head Coach Akim Bouchouchi said: ’I am really happy with that performance. I am happy that we are qualified and I thought the girls did really well. Now we will look at the next opponent [Argentina] and we will prepare well for what is coming.’
An upbeat Walid Abdo, Head Coach of Wales, said: ‘We played a powerhouse of world hockey tonight. The girls will learn massively from it. We were a bit naive at times but that was to be expected, these girls have never played on a stage like this. I am proud of them because they will learn loads from this experience.’
The result means Wales will now face Austria in the 9th-15th place play-offs, while Germany have set up an intriguing match with Argentina in the quarter finals.
Play resumes on Thursday 7 April, at North West University, with the first set of cross-over matches to decide 9th-15th place. The day’s action begins with Wales against Austria. The next match sees Ireland face Canada. The third and final encounter will be an intriguing match between two tournament debutants, Uruguay and Malaysia. From 1–12 April, the Watch.Hockey app will be live streaming all matches, everywhere in the world.
FIH Hockey Women’s Junior World Cup South Africa 2021 – 2 April 2022
Potchefstroom, North West University (RSA)
Result: Match 18
Austria 1, Korea 0
Player of the Match: Helene Herzog (AUT)
Umpires: Maria Locatelli (ARG), Victoria Pazos (PAR), Ines El Hajem (FRA - reserve)
Result: Match 19
Argentina 4, Uruguay 0
Player of the Match: Maria Adorno (ARG)
Umpires: Alison Keogh (IRL), Sophie Bockelmann (GER), Gema Calderon (ESP -reserve)
Result: Match 20
Malaysia 0, India 4
Player of the Match: Salima Tete (IND)
Umpires: Ivona Makar (CRO), Rebecca Woodcock (ENG), Catalina Montesino (CHI - reserve)
Result: Match 21
Germany 8, Wales 0
Player of the Match: Jette Fleschütz (GER)
Umpires: Kim Yoon Seon (KOR), Wanri Venter (RSA), Celine Martin-Schmets (BEL - reserve)
To see the current standings, please click here.
To see the complete match schedule, please click here.
For more information about FIH and hockey in general, please download the Watch.Hockey app or follow the FIH social media channels - Facebook, Instagram and Twitter – and website.
#RisingStars
#JWC2021
#HockeyEquals
