Cape Town - Reigning
World Cup champions Argentina beat the world number 11 Investec South Africa
women’s hockey team 4-1 after leading 2-0 at half-time at Kyocera Stadium in
The Hague, Holland on Sunday night.
The final scoreline may have reflected the world champions’ dominance, but there were enough positive moments that will encourage the girls in green and gold to look forward to Tuesday’s 10.30am match against Germany.
The action started early on when Ilse Davids hit a backhand across goal but Argentina survived the threat. SA keeper Anelle van Deventer was called into action in the fifth minute before Lisa Deetlefs made a vital intervention deep in the Argentina strike zone.
In the 23rd, Kelly Madsen came close to opening the scoring with a neat flick of the wrists but world-class keeper Belen Succi was alert to the danger. At the other end Argentine flair brought a fifth penalty corner in the 26th minute, and Carla Rebecchi smashed the ball into the backboard to Van Deventer’s right for the opening goal (1-0).
On a roll, the South American champs won a sixth penalty corner and Silvina D’Elia’s powerful shot wrong-footed Van Deventer for 2-0 in the 27th minute.
After the break Aymar went on an incisive run and Delfina Merino won her side’s eighth corner following a video referral and a slip-pass left to Noel Barrionuevo saw the corner specialist fire low into the corner of the goals past Van Deventer’s outstretched left leg for 3-0 in the 39th minute.
Argentina brought more joy to their fans when Rebecchi fired in their fourth goal in the 59th minute with a rasping shot that deflected off the keeper’s body into the net, but SA pulled one back immediately when Bright made a superb deflection goal (4-1) just after the hour mark (61st minute).
The final scoreline may have reflected the world champions’ dominance, but there were enough positive moments that will encourage the girls in green and gold to look forward to Tuesday’s 10.30am match against Germany.
The action started early on when Ilse Davids hit a backhand across goal but Argentina survived the threat. SA keeper Anelle van Deventer was called into action in the fifth minute before Lisa Deetlefs made a vital intervention deep in the Argentina strike zone.
In the 23rd, Kelly Madsen came close to opening the scoring with a neat flick of the wrists but world-class keeper Belen Succi was alert to the danger. At the other end Argentine flair brought a fifth penalty corner in the 26th minute, and Carla Rebecchi smashed the ball into the backboard to Van Deventer’s right for the opening goal (1-0).
On a roll, the South American champs won a sixth penalty corner and Silvina D’Elia’s powerful shot wrong-footed Van Deventer for 2-0 in the 27th minute.
After the break Aymar went on an incisive run and Delfina Merino won her side’s eighth corner following a video referral and a slip-pass left to Noel Barrionuevo saw the corner specialist fire low into the corner of the goals past Van Deventer’s outstretched left leg for 3-0 in the 39th minute.
Argentina brought more joy to their fans when Rebecchi fired in their fourth goal in the 59th minute with a rasping shot that deflected off the keeper’s body into the net, but SA pulled one back immediately when Bright made a superb deflection goal (4-1) just after the hour mark (61st minute).