In a day of shutouts in Baku, the Ukraine slipped past their Belarussian neighbors, Spain dispatched Chile, and Azerbaijan whitewashed Kenya, putting away 13 goals without conceding one.
The day started off with the Ukraine taking on neighboring Belarus. Struggling at the beginning, Ukraine gained ground as time passed, and at half-time looked the well superior side, if still equal on the scoreboard.
The big surprise of the match was the entrance of Tetyana Kobzenko. Suddnely running up at half tiem after not being present during the first half, she played well but not outstandingly, obviously still struggling with the knee injury and her long-time absence from international hockey.
A goal from Diana Tahiyeva put the Ukrainians one up shortly after the break, before an otherwise largely uneventful seond half. Play went back and forth, with the Ukraine the better team but also a side incapable of making good use of their opportunities. The exceptional and tireless Maryna Vynohradova added another a minute from the end to take the scoreline to the final 2-0 and give the Ukraine the temporary table lead.
Next up were Spain and Chile. Spain had a great start when Raquel Huertas put away a goal in the second minute, and added two more in the first half through Nuria Camon and Barbara Malda.
Cruising on a comfortable 3-0 half-time lead, Spain could rest easy and played for fun and motivation in the second half while Chile grew desperate and faded fast. The fact that they were unable to reproduce yesterday's good performance visibly affected the South Americans, and their game, while Spain were seen smiling and laughing, having a great time.
Spain had a number of opportunities to inflict more damage but as yesterday struggled to convert, while Chile did not have much left to offer towards the end of the match, worn out from the physical and emotional strain that this tournament is putting on them.
In the final match of the day in a once more filled to capacity stadium, Azerbaijan set out to redeem themselves for a mediocre performance yesterday, and they did so by steamrollering Kenya 13-0.
Zhang Suleymanova put away the hosts's first, and they never looked back, putting away goals at a steady pace against a Kenyan side that just could not find a way to challenge them. Mi Kyung Aliyeva scored a total five goals, Myungsoon Mammadova three, Zarifahon Zeynalova two and Liana Nuriyeva and Dilyuza Mirzaliyeva one each to take the total tally to 13 in a match of David versus Goliath.
The table is thus neatly split in two at the end of day two, with Azerbaijan, Spain, and Ukraine in the top half on six points each, while Chile, Belarus, and Kenya bring up the rear, all still without points.
In the list of goalscorers, Mi Kyung Aliyeva jumped to the top out of nowhere with today's five goals, overtaking Barbara Malda and Maryna Vynohradova, both on four.
