DAY 5 REPORT: A pulsating day of action saw The Netherlands and Argentina get the results that they needed to reach the final of the Samsung FIH Champions Trophy in Nottingham, England.
The Netherlands defeated Germany 1-0 courtesy of a field goal from Kim LAMMERS, which was the 1000th goal in the history of the women's Champions Trophy. They were joined in the final by an Argentina team that claimed a narrow win over China, with penalty corner star Noel BARRIONUEVO netting the winner in the 69th minute. The goal meant that Argentina leap-frogged England - who drew 2-2 with New Zealand earlier in the day - into second in the table, setting up a dream final between the two best teams in the world rankings.
More details about the matches can be found below.
Lammers fires The Netherlands into Final
A second half strike from Kim LAMMERS was enough to confirm The Netherlands' place in the final of the Samsung FIH Champions Trophy, giving her team a 1-0 win over Germany. LAMMERS' goal was the 1000th in the history of the Women's Champions Trophy, a statistic that mattered little to a Dutch team determined to triumph in this tournament.
The first half saw both sides create a number of excellent opportunities, with Germany's Tina BACHMANN and Maartje PAUMEN of the Netherlands both hitting the frame of the goal with penalty corner efforts. The game's decisive moment arrived in the 50th minute when Kim LAMMERS drilled a low shot just inside the left post from the right of the circle. Germany chased hard for an equaliser, but The Netherlands held on to claim an important victory.
Black Sticks frustrate England
New Zealand's Black Sticks finally claimed their first point of the tournament by securing a 2-2 draw with England. The result eventually cost England a place in the tournament final thanks to Argentina's triumph over China.
Although England dominated the early stages of the game it was New Zealand who struck first when Piki HAMAHONA raced down the right, dribbled past Crista CULLEN and fired an unstoppable shot just inside the left post of the England goal (FG 9m). Things went from bad to worse for England in the 18th minute thanks to Gemma FLYNN who struck home from open play, but England pulled a goal back a minute later thanks to Nicola WHITE who latched onto a cross into the circle from Charlotte CRADDOCK to score with ease. Crista CULLEN slammed in an equaliser just before half time from an expertly placed penalty corner, giving England real hope ahead of the second period. However, no further goals were coming, despite a couple of good late chances from Alex DANSON and a failed penalty corner variation.
Regardless of today's result, this has been England's best ever performance in a women's Champions Trophy event, achieving ten points in the Round Robin phase.
Barrionuevo blasts Argentina into Final
Argentina have booked their place in the final of the Samsung FIH Champions Trophy with a 4-3 win over China. The winning goal came in the 69th minute, with Noel BARRIONUEVO sending a penalty corner flick into the goal to ensure that her team leap-frogged England in the league table courtesy of a better goal difference. Argentina will play The Netherlands in tomorrow's tournament final, with the South American's hoping that they can claim the Champions Trophy for a third successive year.
Argentina took the lead in the game after 20 minutes when Daniela SRUOGA danced past three Chinese defenders before finding the roof of the net with a reverse stick shot, but China were level ten minutes later thanks to WANG Zishuang's field goal. Silvina D'ELIA re-established Argentina's lead in the 45th minute with a deflected penalty corner strike before Rosario LUCHETTI's inch-perfect lob made the score 3-1 to Las Leonas with just over 20 minutes remaining. China netted twice in the final ten minutes to tie the scores, with goals from ZHAO Yudiao (60 PC) and FU Baorong (64 FG), but BARRIONUEVO's late goal sealed an Argentinean victory.
Tomorrow will see another action-packed day in Nottingham, which begins at 09.35. China and New Zealand will contest the 5th-6th place play-off match before England and Germany do battle for third place at 12:15. The Gold medal match between The Netherlands and Argentina will begin at 15:05.
More information about the action from Nottingham can be found on the Samsung FIH Champions Trophy tournament microsite: http://www.samsungchampionstrophy2010.sportcentric.com/
