The Black Sticks made it four wins from four to end the pool phase in style while Spain outclassed Korea in the women’s tournament in Terrassa.
New Zealand’s women’s team was involved in a highly entertaining fixture to take a crucial point against Japan while Chile and Ireland cruised past Canada and Italy, respectively. The other men’s game saw South Africa doing enough to pip Poland.
(Women’s) Chile 3-0 Canada
Chile got their first set of points in the bag in Spain with a 3-0 win over Canada. After a heartbreaking loss in their opener, the Chileans started the game against Canada with attacking intent, forcing goalkeeper Rowan Harris into action a few times.
After three penalty corners, Las Diablas finally found the back of the net in the fourth attempt in the 20th minute. The shot from Josefa Salas found a way in through a crowded circle. To make matters worse, the Canadians gifted their opponents when Anna Mollenhauer failed to control a back pass. Manuela Urroz pounced and produced a cheeky assist for Maria Maldonado to tap in. While Chile dominated the game, it took them six more penalty corners to find the third goal. It came from Constanza Palma via a deflected shot in the 52nd minute.
Manuela Urroz of Chile was judged player of the match and said: “We are happy with the win. We knew it was a good game. We know about Canada as we play them in America. We need to be tough against Japan next. We will watch our videos to see where we can improve.”
(Women’s) Japan 2-2 New Zealand
New Zealand came back from two goals down to draw against Japan in a Pool B fixture in Terrassa. It was a cautious start to the game from both sides. New Zealand had more penalty corners, circle entries, and possession in the first half but it was Japan that made their chances count.
Four minutes into the second quarter, Kanon Mori squeezed in from a penalty corner. It was a dramatic goal that saw the first two shots from Yu Asai and Hazuki Nagai saved before the finish from Mori. Meanwhile, New Zealand failed to take advantage of a penalty stroke that was fired wide by Megan Hull. For Japan, a goal came out of nowhere in the final minute of the first half when Nagai deflected a long and hard ground ball from Shihori Oikawa.
New Zealand wasted no time in restoring some balance to the scoreline by earning a penalty corner two minutes after the restart. It became a penalty stroke when the ball hit Nagai’s foot. Stephanie Dickins’ powerful drive hit the crossbar and went in after hitting the pad of goalkeeper Eika Nakamura. New Zealand continued to apply pressure and finally got the equaliser with six minutes to go. Dickins’ long pass was deflected for Hannah Gravenhall to smash it in.
New Zealand's Rose Tynan won player of the match and said: "It was a dominant performance. We were disappointed to be down at halftime. Props to everyone to keep pushing and get the goals in the second half."
(Women’s) Ireland 3-0 Italy
Ireland responded well to the bashing from Spain on the opening day to beat Italy 3-0. They started finely as Hannah McLoughlin drew the defenders towards her before crossing from the right for an unmarked Niamh Carey to tap in in four minutes.
The women in green looked organised and disciplined to keep Italy at bay. The second quarter saw them double the advantage with McLoughlin powering one down the middle from a penalty corner in the 17th minute. They looked like a team reborn as McLoughlin got her second and Ireland’s third in the last minute of the first half.
It’s not that Italy did not try, but they weren't able to convert the chances despite getting six penalty corners. The second half finished goalless as Ireland recovered brilliantly from the opening-day defeat to stay alive in the competition.
Hannah McLoughlin of Ireland won player of the match and praised her teammates for the performance. She said: “It’s definitely better than our performance yesterday. We worked on our penalty corners and it paid off. But it’s a team win today.”
(Women’s) Korea 1-3 Spain
Spain came back from a goal down to beat Korea 1-3 to enjoy a great home tournament in Terrassa. Barring a few chances for the hosts, the game was not living up to hype in the first half. But all that changed within a couple of minutes. In the 24th minute, Korea won a penalty corner that was smashed in by Minjeong Kim. Just when it looked like Korea would go into halftime with the lead, a cheap error resulted in a penalty stroke. Lola Riera made it 1-1 with ease to set up an intense 30 more minutes.
Within nine minutes of restart, Spain started to find the pockets. A penalty corner in the 38th minute was well-saved by Eunji Kim, but Sara Barrios was given acres of space for a goal a minute later. Spain turned on the heat from then on and added one more thanks to a superb penalty corner from Riera.
The excitement of the third quarter faded out in the fourth with both teams just wanting to see out the match as Spain continued to dictate the terms and finish with another crucial win.
Lola Riera was awarded player of the match and said: “I think in the beginning it was a bit hard to play against them. I think the final balls are the most important in these types of games and we are happy with the win.”
(Men’s) New Zealand 4-2 Korea
New Zealand topped Pool A after winning their fourth game 4-2 against Korea to qualify for the semi-finals. The Black Sticks started strongly against Korea, attacking from all sides of the pitch and got their reward within five minutes. It was a lovely team goal that started from their half and was brilliantly finished by the ever-reliable Scott Boyde. It took 18 minutes for them to double their lead as Kane Russell converted from a penalty corner after his initial shot was saved by Jaehyeon Kim.
Koreans were not able to make any real impact with the ball but a flurry of attacks in the final five minutes of the first half saw them pull one back. Cheoleon Park dissected a long ball to stun Leon Hayward. An equaliser wasn’t far away as the game changed but the Koreans could not add to the momentum and find that finish. That lack of killer instinct was punished as Kane Russell found Simon Child on the left in the first minute of the second half. Child's shot was saved by the keeper but Jake Smith was at the right place at the right time to make it 3-1. A great start to the fourth quarter followed as Sean Findlay found Hugo Inglis, whose first shot was saved. The rebound fell comfortably for Isaac Houlbrooke to smash it in. While Park got another goal for Korea with two minutes to go, it was too little too late in the end.
Player of the match was New Zealand's Sean Findlay, who praised his teammates and defenders for giving them the freedom to be creative upfront, and said: “They played well and challenged us but the boys did well to keep ourselves at the top of the table. We managed to find a bit of space in the middle of the zone which was nice.”
(Men’s) Poland 1-2 South Africa
South Africa eked out a 1-2 win against hosts Poland in their third game of Pool A. The African Champions finally looked like a team that would play in the Olympics in Paris, coming up with their best performance of the tournament so far in the first half.
While four penalty corners didn’t do the trick for them in the first quarter thanks to Mateusz Popiolkowski producing some sensational saves, Nqobile Ntuli marked his 100th cap in style, firing one into the top left corner.
While they dominated the game, the lack of a two-goal cushion almost haunted them in the end. Damian Jarzembowski scored for Poland a minute into the third quarter as the South Africans switched off for a second.
The match went down to the wire with Bradley Sherwood scoring from a scramble in the circle to give them a lifeline. There was time for more drama as Poland earned a penalty corner in the final minute but failed to score.
Player of the match Andrew Hobson of South Africa acknowledged the importance of the win and said: “It hasn't been the best of tournaments for us. We needed that win. It was not the perfect win but three points are three points. We will get better as the tournament goes on.”
To see the current standings in the FIH Hockey Women’s Nations Cup, click here.
FIH Hockey Women’s Nations Cup – 4 June 2024
Estadi Marti Colomer, Terrassa, (ESP)
Result: Match 5 (W)
Chile 3-0 Canada
Player of the match: Manuela Urroz (CHI)
Umpires: Melissa Taylor (RSA), Lorjin De Kraker (NED), Lisette Baljon (NED-video)
Result: Match 6 (W)
Japan 2-2 New Zealand
Player of the match: Rose Tynan (NZL)
Umpires: Lisette Baljon (NED), Tamara Leonard (AUS), Melissa Taylor (RSA-video)
Result: Match 7 (W)
Ireland 3-0 Italy
Player of the match: Hannah McLoughlin
Umpires: Gemma Calderon (ESP), Clare Barwood (WAL), Sophie Bockelmann (GER-video)
Result: Match 8 (W)
Korea 1-3 Spain
Player of the match: Lola Riera (ESP)
Umpires: Sophie Bockelmann (GER), Mariana Reydo (ARG), Clare Barwood (WAL-video)
To see the current standings in the FIH Hockey Men’s Nations Cup, click here.
FIH Hockey Men’s Nations Cup – 4 June 2024
Hockey Stadium - Gniezno, (POL)
Result: Match 11 (M)
New Zealand 4-2 Korea
Player of the match: Sean Findlay (NZL)
Umpires: Michael Dutrieux (BEL), Haroon Rashid (PAK), Federico Silva (ARG-video)
Result: Match 12 (M)
Poland 1-2 South Africa
Player of the match: Andrew Hobson (RSA)
Umpires: Benjamin Peters (USA), Paul Van Den Assum (NED), Harry Collinson (ENG-video)
