Visit the Samsung Hockey World Cup website
5th Place Playoff
Japan 1 defeated USA 0
JPN ÔÇô Kaori Chiba FG 40m
Japan and USA could be satisfied with their performance in this competition, both finishing higher than their world ranking (Japan 8th, USA 12th).
The match was nevertheless not totally without meaning as the fifth place entitled the holder to a coveted spot in the next Champions Trophy in Argentina.
The game was played without much pattern, neither team been able to establish control for a significant period of time.
The difference came from an individual effort from Kaori Chiba early in the second period; she managed to carry the ball into the circle, elude a pair of defenders, turn and slot the past USA goalkeeper Amy Tran.
USA tried hard to come back but could not find penetrate the compact Japanese defense effectively and grouped around their emblematic captain Akemi Kato, who is fast approaching the 300 international caps.
9th Place Playoff
Korea 2 defeated China 1
Goals: KOR ÔÇô Eun Young Choi PC 10m, Mi Hyun Park FG 13m; CHN - Ren Ye PC 70m
Korea scored two quick first half goals and made them stand for the remainder of the match in a 2-0 win over China in the ninth place playoff.
Eun Young Choi put Korea up early in the first half when she fired a direct penalty corner shot against the backboard of the China goal for a 1-0 lead.
Korea added to the lead just moments later when Mi Hyun Park swept in a pass from Jin Kyoung Kim to double the advantage.
China has some early opportunities for a comeback in the second half, but Fu Bao Rong's shot went wide of the goal in the 40th minute and then Li Hong Xia's blast from in front of the Korea goal was smothered by goalkeeper Ju Yong Lim with 26 minutes left in the match.
China finally got onto the scoreboard in the final minute when Ren Ye slapped in a shot off from the left post off a penalty corner for the game's final score.
The loss and 10th place finish concluded a disappointing World Cup for China. The 2002 World Cup bronze medalists, China entered the tournament as the world's fifth-ranked and appeared to have returned to form following an impressive silver medal performance at the Champions Trophy.
The finish was the second lowest in China's World Cup history after placing 11th in Utrecht in 1998. China finished the World Cup with a record of 2 wins and 5 losses.
Ninth-placed Korea also had a difficult tournament, with their lowest finish in the country's World Cup history.
The world's seventh-ranked team entering the tournament, Korea placed sixth at the 2002 World Cup and concluded the 2006 edition with a record of 3 wins, 3 losses and 1 draw.
11th Place Playoff
India 1 defeated South Africa 0
Goals: IND ÔÇô Jyoti Sunita Kullu FG 28m
India captain Jyoti Sunita Kullu scored the game's only goal to give her team a 1-0 victory over South Africa in the World Cup 11th place playoff.
Scoring her first goal of the tournament, Kullu knocked in a field goal in the 28th minute to give India a lead it would never relinquish.
The win was India's first victory of the tournament as the team ends the World Cup with 1 win, 1 draw and 5 losses. South Africa went winless in its World Cup campaign and concluded the tournament with a record of 0 wins, 5 losses and 2 draws.
India's 11th place finish is a step higher than its 12th place showing in its last World Cup in 1998 (Utrecht) while South Africa's 12th place finish puts the team at the bottom of the tournament standings.
South Africa placed 13th in a 16-team tournament in its last World Cup appearance in 2002 (Perth).
India entered the tournament ranked 13th in the world, while South Africa held a number 11 pre-tournament ranking.
