Scotland 1-0 Austria
Scotland ladies booked their place in tomorrow’s Ladies’s EuroHockey Championship Qualifier Closing with a 1-0 win over Austria in Glasgow.
The solar got here out once more in Glasgow for the second semi-final of the day and the stands have been packed on the Glasgow Nationwide Hockey Centre with an expectant crowd hoping to see Scotland transfer into the ultimate to play a ready Wales squad.
The Scots began creating probabilities early on, incomes penalty corners inside the first couple of minutes of the sport. They have been, nonetheless, unable to transform and this grew to become the story of the sport. The house group had continued strong construct up play from the again, led by Amy Costello; neither group although, was capable of finding the ultimate cross in entrance of objective. Scotland earned their third nook with three minutes of the quarter to go – this one was stopped by the defensive runner. With only one minute to go, there have been extra probabilities for each groups however it remained goalless on the finish of the primary quarter.
A feistier second quarter started with a inexperienced card for Austrian captain Fiona Felber after a poor deal with. Scotland appeared to take benefit however have been unable to capitalise on the overload of gamers as each groups struggled to construct a rhythm.
Scotland remained the group, which had far more possession and earned their third and fourth quick corners in fast succession, but these additionally couldn’t threaten the Austrian defence. The away group appeared for counter-attacking probabilities however have been frequently stopped by Scotland’s sturdy defensive position.
A fifth nook for Scotland with two minutes left of the half created much more points for Austria, with goalkeeper Stella van Rahden being pressured to make three consecutive saves. She was shortly below strain once more with a sixth nook, with the Scotland strike hitting primary runner Johanna Czech. There have been few probabilities for both group in open play with the rating staying deadlocked at 0-0 at half time.
Because the second half began, the gang was looking forward to targets – and the Scotland group responded. They aimed to be extra direct from the beginning and an early alternative for Frances Lonergan whistled simply vast of the correct put up. The winger then gained yet one more nook for the Scotland group who continued to pile the strain onto their Austrian counterparts. They tried a special nook tactic with a sweep from the highest of the circle, however the outcome stayed the identical.
This was adopted by a detailed reverse stick probability from Katie Robertson as play stayed within the Austrian half and one other nook probability went begging.
A yellow card for Austria’s Daria Buchta created much more impetus for Scotland to take the lead earlier than a inexperienced card for Jess Ross evened the numbers on the pitch. The Scotland group’s power was frequently buoyed on by coach Chris Duncan.
Lengthy conversations earlier than corners didn’t change fortunes for Scotland; nonetheless, a card for Emily Darkish did. The umpire tried to regulate tempers on the pitch as each groups knew the significance of the sport with the ultimate on the road.
Scotland lastly transformed a nook on the tenth try with captain Sarah Robertson discovering the end on a rebound.
Heading into the ultimate quarter, Austria began to play with better offensive intent. An early break threatened to even the rating earlier than a second assault from Johanna Czech flew throughout the face of objective.
A yellow card for Felber helped Scotland regain management of the sport briefly earlier than the Austrians utilized strain once more with 5 minutes to go. They gained a nook two minutes later, resulting in a tense ultimate passage of the sport.
However, Scotland managed to carry on to their result in win 1-0 and can play Wales within the ultimate of the EuroHockey Championship Qualifiers tomorrow for an opportunity to be promoted.
Wales 4-0 Czechia
The primary semi-final of the day on the Ladies’s EuroHockey Qualifiers in Glasgow noticed Wales safe a 4-0 win over Czechia and their place within the ultimate.
Sturdy Welsh assist inspired the group all through the altering situations at Glasgow Inexperienced, with some Millie Holme creating early probabilities with drives up the left-hand aspect of the pitch and line-breaking passes out of defence. Continued strain excessive up the pitch from Wales noticed Czechia struggling to construct possession and earned them a primary nook of the match for both group; captain Elizabeth Bingham transformed the initially saved strike with a rebound off the keeper. Additional corners and probabilities adopted for the Welsh group, however they have been denied any additional targets.
Because the rain began to fall on the Glasgow Nationwide Hockey Centre, Wales aimed to maintain their maintain on the sport. A 3rd nook for the Welsh group noticed them rating their second objective with a neat deflection into the underside left from Olivia Hoskins. Frustrations began to construct for Czechia and have been evidenced with Natálie Nováková receiving a inexperienced card after a poor deal with.
The younger Wales squad – that includes six gamers from their U21s squad – led 2-0 at halftime in opposition to their highest ranked opponents. The Czechs appeared to show the sport and used the break to settle themselves. They constructed on an early yellow card within the second half for Hoskins and began to create attacking alternatives – however these continued to be repelled by a strong Welsh defence.
Neither group might break by way of every others’ strains, till a nook for Wales with a minute left of the third quarter led to a flurry of alternatives for each groups, however no targets.
Heading into the ultimate quarter of the sport, Czechia gained their first nook of the match. With 10 minutes left on the clock, a wonderful save from post-man Isabelle Howard on the road helped Wales retain their lead. From right here, they managed possession and steadily constructed extra alternatives. A fourth penalty nook for Wales was transformed with a robust drag flick by Amy Cradden, resulting in Czechia taking off their keeper in an try to get again on stage phrases the match.
Nevertheless, this backfired with Olivia Hoskins scoring her second and Wales’ fourth into an empty web to seal their place in tomorrow’s ultimate match.
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