Reigning World and Olympic champions The Netherlands became the third team to reach the Semi Finals of the BDO FIH Hockey World Cup thanks to a victory over European rivals Germany on Day 8 of the tournament.
Striker Kim LAMMERS was the hero for her team, netting a last minute winner after Maartje PAUMEN had cancelled out a first half goal from Germany's Maike STOECKEL. The result means that Germany will need to defeat fellow Semi Final hopefuls Australia - 4-1 winners against New Zealand in the evening game - if they are to secure a place in the last four.
Earlier in the day, a vastly improved India team defeated Japan 2-0.
More information about the matches can be found below, whilst complete event information is available on the FIH tournament microsite: http://www.bdofihworldcup2010.sportcentric.com/
Black Sticks defeated as Hockeyroos keep World Cup dream alive
Australia kept alive their chances of reaching the Semi Finals of the BDO FIH Hockey World Cup with 4-1 win over New Zealand. Krystal FORGESSON gave the Black Sticks an early lead before goals from Kobie McGurk, Ashleigh NELSON (2) and Shelly LIDDELOW gave the Hockeyroos a vital win in their quest for World Cup glory.
The opening goal of the game came from the stick of the in-form Krystal FORGESSON, who deflected a beautiful cross-pass into the net to claim her fifth goal of the tournament in just the 4th minute of the match. New Zeland continued their attacking momentum throughout the opening 12 minutes of the game but were hit by a sucker punch when Australia's Kobie McGURK smashed home a penalty corner to tie the match. Despite this goal, it was New Zealand who continued to look the better team in the game, forcing the Hockeyroos to defend for long periods.
If New Zealand had the better of the first period, Australia completely turned the tables in the second. A 57th minute field goal from Ashleigh NELSON established a 2-1 lead and gave the Australia fans in the stadium something to cheer about. Shelly LIDDELOW grabbed Australia's third goal in the 63rd minute despite an appeal to the video umpire from New Zealand, before NELSON claimed her second of the game just two minutes later to seal a 4-1 victory.
The Hockeyroos will be delighted with their second half performance against their fierce rivals, knowing that ther result keeps their chances of reaching the Semi Finals very much alive. Australia will play Germany in their final Pool A match on
Tuesday, with the winner joining The Netherlands in the Semi Finals of the BDO FIH Hockey World Cup.
Match Review 24 - New Zealand v Australia 1-4
> Australia beat New Zealand 4-1, one goal short of equalling Germany's goal difference of +5.
> Australia now need to beat Germany on Tuesday in order to qualify for the semi-finals.
> New Zealand stay bottom in Pool A.
> Krystal Forgesson (NZL) lifted her Rosario 2010 total to five goals. She added to her 3 goals vs NED and her goal vs JPN.
> Kobie McGurk (AUS) netted her second PC goal at Rosario 2010. She also scored Australia's very first goal at this World Cup.
> Australia has now scored one penalty corner goal in all four matches at Rosario 2010.
> Ashleigh Nelson (AUS) scored the match winning goal by netting her third and fourth (field) goal at Rosario 2010.
Lammers strikes late as Oranje reach Semi Finals
The Netherlands have reached the Semi Finals of the BDO FIH Hockey World Cup after a late Kim LAMMERS strike defeated Germany 2-1 in an exciting second game here in Rosario, Argentina. Germany lead through Maike STOECKEL's first half field goal before Maartje PAUMEN and Kim LAMMERS netted at either end of the second half to seal a dramatic Dutch victory. The Germany team will consider themselves unlucky to have lost the game, having created some clear cut goal-scoring opportunities to clinch all three points.
Germany started the game in electric fashion, taking just three minutes to open the scoring when Maike STOECKEL slammed the ball past Netherlands keeper Joyce SOEMBROEK. The Netherlands won their first corner of the game in the fifth minute, but Maartje PAUMEN's shot sailed wide of the target when virtually everyone in the stadium was expecting the net to bulge. A second penalty corner arrived nine minutes later, but again the Dutch defender failed to take advantage. Germany appeared to move into a 2-0 lead in the 23rd minute, but following a video umpire referral the goal was disallowed for a foot foul.
The Netherlands pulled themselves level just after half time, when a slick penalty corner routine saw the ball arrive on the stick of Maartje PAUMEN in acres of space. This time she made no mistake, slamming her effort past Germany keeper Kristina REYNOLDS before punching the air in celebration. Germany found themselves being subjected to a bombardment of Netherlands attacks, but strong defending frustrated the world and Olympic champions. Germany had two great chances to win the match in the last ten minutes, but their failure to convert was punished by the ever-dangerous Kim LAMMERS, who forced the ball home from close range in the 69th minute following a superb run down the right from Naomi van AS.
Match 23 - Germany v Netherlands 1-2
> Netherlands collect their four straight win at Rosario 2010 and qualify for the semi-finals.
> This is Holland's 11th semi-final berth in 12 World Cup tournaments.
> The Netherlands only failed to reach the semi's in 1994.
> Today's wins extends Holland's wining streak over Germany to 6 competitive matches.
> Maike St├Âckel scored her second goal in competitive matches against Holland. Her first came at the 2005 Champions Trophy when she gave Germany a 1-0 lead only to see the Netherlands win 8-1.
> Maartje Paumen (NED) is now on 8 World Cup goals in 2010. The last time a player scored more at a World Cup tournament was in 2002, when Pietie Coetzee netted 9 goals for RSA.
> Kim Lammers scored the winning goal, like she did in Holland's 1-0 win over Germany at the 2010 Champions Trophy.
Japan defeated by improving India
A much improved India team recorded their first win of the tournament against Japan, running out 2-0 winners. 15-year-old Rani RAMPAL continued her exceptional scoring form when she netted her fifth goal of the BDO FIH Hockey World Cup, all of which have come from open play. The result means that India have leapfrogged Japan into fourth place in the Pool A standings, whilst also being temporarily ahead of bottom-placed New Zealand before their match against Australia later today.
India took the lead in the 14th minute of the match when Rani RAMPAL finished off a slick attack, continuing her trend of scoring in every single game at the BDO FIH Hockey World Cup in Rosario. Japan had large spells of possession in the first half, but were often frustrated by superb work from the Indian midfielders who made a number of important blocks just when their opponents threatened to score. Japan were awarded a sequence of penalty corners on the stroke of half time, giving them the perfect opportunity to draw level. However, great work from India keeper Dipika GONGALA guaranteed her side the advantage at the break.
Japan came out at the start of the second period with all guns blazing, but India soon found their rhythm and began to force their opponents onto the back foot. India's second goal arrived courtesy of Jaseet Kaur HANDA, who sent her penalty corner effort into the net in the 42nd minute. A strike from Japan's Kaori CHIBA caused problems for Indian keeper GONGALA a few minutes later, with the video umpire being called into action to double check if the ball had found its way into the goal, but India's two goal advantage remained intact. A Yellow Card for goal scorer HANDA gave Japan a late boost, but the Indian team were not to be denied their first victory of the tournament.
Match 22 - Japan v India 0-2
> This is India's first World Cup match win since they beat South Africa 1-0 in the 11th place play-off at the 2006 World Cup.
> Japan are still winless after 4 World Cup matches. At the 2006 World Cup they also started their campaign with four winless games before recording three straight wins.
> Rani Rampal (IND) netted her fifth World Cup goal, all came from open play. She has now scored in all four of India's matches at Rosario 2010.
> Jasjeet Handa converted India's first penalty corner in 9 attempts at Rosario 2010, leaving New Zealand as the only team still to score off penalty corners.
