Judgement day on Thursday at the women’s Hockey World League Semi-Final in Valencia as eight sides face quarter-final matches which will ultimately see them contest for the three automatic Olympic berths on offer, as well as three Hockey World League Final places – or be left contesting the classification matches.
Tournament surprise package Ireland meet China in game one at 11.30am (CET), hoping they can record their first ever win over the Asian side at the 13th attempt. The last time the two sides met was back in February 2008, a 3-1 win for China, with only Shirley McCay still involved with the Irish set-up from that day.
Nonetheless, the Irish had never beaten USA before Tuesday and they will be in confident mood after topping Pool B with three wins from four games.
China had a tricky time of it in Pool A. They started with a strong 3-0 win over Canada but have not scored in the last three games against Spain, Argentina and Great Britain. Can the world number seven side end that run and use their greater experience on the world stage to undo the upstarts from the Emerald Isle?
It’s an Americas battle royale at 2:00pm when world number three side Argentina and and fifth ranked USA face off.
Argentina’s skipper Macarena Rodriguez Perez said that “it is a great rivalry, like the classico of Pan-America. “It will be a tough and physical match but we are going to play hard and enjoy the occasion.”
Despite being a couple of places down the world list, USA have the form guide of late, unbeaten against Argentina in five meetings in 2015 already.
Most recently, Craig Parnham’s side ran up a 3-0 win in Hawke’s Bay with Katie O’Donnell, Jill Witmer and Lauren Crandall on the mark. Two of those were from corners, a facet of play that the USA have struggled with so far in the tournament. If they can get those right, they could be in great shape for the victory but goalkeeper Belen Succi and her cohorts will not be easily beaten and there is scarcely more than a goal between them, happening just twice in the last 14 games.
Great Britain will be aiming to continue the only 100 per cent win record in the competition when they meet South Africa at 4:30pm. Sophie Bray has led the charge with five goals to be the tournament’s top scorer after the group phases with three coming from open play.
South Africa will need to find goals as they have just three to their name thus far and are the only team in the quarter-final line-up without a win to their name. Nonetheless, their 0-0 draw against Germany was a confidence booster and goalkeeper Sanani Mangisa reckons they can pull a few tricks out of the bag against GB.
“I have been impressed with the clean sheets they have kept but we will work out something to have up our sleeve when we face them," she said.
Last game on court is the all-European clash of Germany and Spain at 7:00pm in what could be an epic encounter. The former are unbeaten and the tournament top scorers after four group games with 13 goals to their name in spite of their blank against South Africa.
Their corner routine has looked the most polished with the double threat of teenager Nike Lorenz and Hannah Kruger at the top, allied to Charlotte Stapenhorst, Lydia Haase and Lisa Altenburg up front, give them plenty of scoring outlets.
Spain, though, have a great record against the Germans in 2015 with three consecutive victories in February in Valencia, scoring nine goals in the process. With confidence high after an impressive group stage, including a first win over China since 2006 and a draw against Argentina, Adrian Lock’s crew are hoping to upset the world number six side.
