China, Russia, Croatia, Canada and Portugal registered their second victories with Russia holding the ranking edge over China, Croatia, Canada and then Portugal in the race for the next stages.
Match Reports
Match 9. First Round League Phase.
CHINA 21 ARGENTINA 5 (5-1, 3-1, 7-1, 6-2)
China rose to the occasion for a second big win under the leadership of Olympic gold medallist Miki Oca, the former Spanish women’s supremo. While China whipped out to 5-1 at the first break, Argentina held sway for the first four minutes thanks to an Isabella Mastronardi six-metre, free throw shot — the first of the tournament. It could have been 2-0 but for a saved penalty attempt. Once China struck through Xie Liyi, the goals kept coming on action with just Nong Sanfeng’s extra-player goal at 1:24 with a one-pass conversion for 5-1. China also had a penalty stopped. Both goalkeepers were busy in the second quarter, stopping many attacks, although China scored either side of an Ana Agnesina goal in the first half of the period. The Chinese player fed the ball back to the goalkeeper but instead found Agnesina on two metres, who turned and scored for 6-2. Zhang Yumian made up for the missed penalty attempt to close first-half scoring at 8-2 on extra from the top. China piled on the pressure in the third period as Argentina could only respond with one extra-player goal which was a defender deflection into the goalmouth. Xie netted three more as China went 15-3 up. The final period was tighter with Argentina scoring on extra from each post position and China slotting three penalty goals.
Match Heroes
Xie topped the Chinese scoring with six goals, one more than Yan with Zhang Yumian grabbing three. Goalkeeper/captain Shen Yineng made nine saves in three quarters. Agnesina scored a double for Argentina and goalie Lola Canales made eight saves in less than three quarters.
Turning Point
China coming from 1-0 down to 6-1 gave it the impetus for victory.
Stats Don’t Lie
China converted four from seven on extra and defended nine from 12. China put away five from six on penalty while Argentina missed its one chance. China won the steals 8-3 and a fantastic 37 shots to 20.
Match 10. First Round League Phase.
CANADA 12 BRAZIL 10 (3-3, 4-2, 3-1, 2-4)
Canada made it two from two with what seemed a close match with Brazil. However, the margin was trimmed from five to two in the final quarter as Canada took its foot off the accelerator. Level at the first break with six different scorers, including a beautiful lob shot from Canadian captain Emma Wright, Canada went to the lead for the first time through Kyra Christmas with a six-metre, free-throw score a minute into the second period. Leticia Belorio responded twice to give her three goals as Canada led 6-5. Christmas slammed in her fourth goal from the top right to close out the half. Diana Abla was denied her second goal on penalty while Belorio converted her penalty chance for 7-6 down. Wright scored on the buzzer while surrounded by four players, sweeping the ball into goal from two metres for 8-6. Christmas and Wright, from the penalty line, stretched the margin to four by the last break. Emma Lawson made it a five-goal differential to start the fourth before Brazil made a comeback with four goals to one, including a pair to Maiah Nascimento (extra and penalty). Opening-day star Marilia Mimides collected her second goal at 12-8 and 2:03, which put Canada safely through.
Match Heroes
Christmas scored five and Wright three while Jessica Gaudreault snared 13 saves in the Canadian goal. Belorio topped Brazil’s effort with four goals.
Turning Point
Canada turning the tables on Brazil from two down to 4-3 up. That and going five goals ahead early in the fourth.
Stats Don’t Lie
Canada scored one from two and Brazil three from six on extra. Canada scored both penalty attempts and Brazil two from three. The steals were 2-2 and the shots 33-34.
Match 11. First Round League Phase.
GREAT BRITAIN 21 SINGAPORE 6 (7-3, 5-2, 2-1, 7-0)
Great Britain bounced back from its first-day penalty-shootout loss to Portugal with a resounding win over Singapore. Toula Falvey was the undoubted star with her complete dominance of the centre-forward position, slotting seven goals, four from two metres and the other on counter. With the ball anywhere near her, she was able to collect and score with twists and turns. She had five to her name in the first quarter as she levelled Charlene Tio’s opener and then scored four straight as Great Britain marched to 7-3 at the first break. Kayla Yeo and Heather Lee on penalty for her second, brought Singapore to 7-5 behind. However, Falvey backhanded her next shot and her seventh came at 10-5. Milly Wordley slipped in the final pair, turning at 12-5. It was a quiet third period before a series of Great Britain players helped keep the sheet clean in the fourth period, Lily Ross collecting two.
Match Heroes
Falvey with seven from seven for Great Britain and pairs to Tio and Lee for Singapore.
Turning Point
Great Britain recovering from one down to finish the first quarter 7-3 up.
Stats Don’t Lie
Britain converted two from three on extra and Singapore three from five. On penalties, Britain converted all three and Singapore one. Britain bested the steals at 7-5 and the shots 35-19.
Match 12. First Round League Phase.
SOUTH AFRICA 11 CROATIA 23 (2-7, 3-4, 2-7, 4-5)
Croatia became a second-time winner with another comfortable victory, built on a 7-2 opening quarter. It was not all one-sided as South Africa kept coming back and to score 11 goals was no mean feat. Four of these came in the last quarter alone. Dora Kangler and Iva Rozic scored twice each in the first quarter with Rozic adding a third in the second quarter. Shakira January closed the first-half scoring to trail 11-5. Ria Glas scored either side of a Georgia Eccles (her second) lob shot and Isabella Imbriolo scored from top left for 13-7. Croatia netted the next five for 18-7 at the last break. Rozic scored a hat-trick in the fourth — two from penalty and one on counter. At 21-8, South Africa hit the right post on penalty before Boati Motau from the top and Mia Loizides from deep left on extra lifted the score to 21-10. Rozic and Loizides exchanged penalty goals while Croatia fumbled a penalty attempt and Neli Jankovic scored her third on the buzzer from well outside.
Match Heroes
Rozic smashed home seven goals, Glas four and Jankovic 3 for Croatia. Eccles, January and Loizides scored a pair each for South Africa.
Turning Point
Breaking free of 1-1 to go 6-1 clear in the first period.
Stats Don’t Lie
Croatia scored a perfect eight from eight on extra and blocked five from eight. It made four from five on penalty with South Africa converting two from four. The Africans won the steals 7-4 and the shots 34-33.
Match 14. First Round League Phase.
PORTUGAL 10 KAZAKHSTAN 8 (0-1, 5-0, 4-5, 1-2)
Portugal became the fifth team to secure double victories here, doing it from 7-1 several minutes into the third quarter. It cruised from there as Kazakhstan boldly came back into the match, scoring the last five of the last six goals. Anastassiya Mirshina scored the only goal of the first quarter with a bouncer from top left. It was to be more than 18 minutes later for Kazakhstan to make the scoresheet when Olga Vorontsova buried one from top right for 7-2. Portugal had been busy during that time with Maria Machado scoring three action goals. Jessica Goncalves received help from a defender on a long shot when the deflection looped over the goalkeeper’s head. This was after Kazakhstan had a penalty shot rejected. Mirshina struck again on extra and Beatriz Fernandes scored from wide left for 9-3 at 2:39. Yuliya Druzhinina scored two of the next three Kazakh goals for 9-6 at the final break. Alina Ozkaya pulled it to within two at the start of the fourth, but despite each team taking a timeout, nothing came of the plays. Madalena Lousa gave Portugal the 10-7 edge at 2:02 with a missile from the top on extra. Druzhinina scored from deep right for 10-8 at 2:01, but neither side could break the defence in those two minutes, giving Portugal the win.
Match Heroes
Machado with three for Portugal and goalkeeper Maria Santos with 10 saves. Druzhinina netted three for Kazakhstan and Mariya Martynenko claimed nine saves in just over three-quarters of the play.
Turning Point
From one down to 7-1 ahead gave Portugal the impetus for the victory.
Stats Don’t Lie
Portugal made three from five on extra and stopped five from six. Both teams missed a penalty attempt with Portugal also scoring one; Kazakhstan had the better of the steals at 3-1 and the shots 28-26.
Match 15. First Round League Phase.
RUSSIA 26 GERMANY 4 (7-3, 6-0, 8-1, 5-0)
Russia was in crushing form once again with a huge victory that included two shut-out quarters and an 8-1 third period. Russia went for the counters again, gaining 10 goals from 12 attempts, proving that it is probably the best team here, regardless of so many years in the wilderness. Obviously, competition at home was fierce in that time and training was kept up, such is the prowess of this current team. Russia went 6-1 ahead with first-day heroine Olga Lupinogina scoring twice, alongside Bella Markoch. Germans Belen Vosseberg and Emiliia Khmil converted extra in consecutive goals for 6-3 late in the second quarter. However, Russia gained the edge at 7-3 by the first break and then sent seven different players to the goalmouth to have a sparkling 13-3 difference at the long break. A ninth consecutive goal started the third period before German Elena Ludwig netted her second on penalty at 6:37 — more than 11 minutes since the last score. Lupinogina started the next Russian surge with Margarita Pystina grabbing two in a row, the first on counter, as the margin hit 21-4 at the final break. Russia claimed the last with five unanswered goals with Viktoriia Guskova and Anastasiia Adikova adding to their tallies.
Match Heroes
Every Russian field player scored and most by halftime. Pystina, Lupinogina, Guskova and Adikova made three each. For Germany, Ludwig scored twice and goalkeeper Darja Heinbichner made eight saves in two periods.
Turning Point
Bursting to 6-1 and taking the match by the scruff of the neck at 7-3 to 14-3.
Stats Don’t Lie
Russia won this match on counters as 10-0; shot an impressive 40-14; stole the ball 15-2 and both teams scored a penalty goal while Russia converted one from two and Germany three from four on extra. Germany was denied an action goal, showing how tight the Russian defence was.
Match 16. First Round League Phase.
MALTA 13 SLOVAKIA 11 in penalty shootout. FT: 10-10. Pens: 3-1 (4-5, 2-3, 3-0, 1-2)
Malta came from three goals down to take a two-goal lead and then squander it in the final quarter, having to go to a gripping shootout, which it eventually won. It was a ripper of a match as the encounter was tied at the first five numbers. Both teams enjoyed the lead at this stage. In the second quarter, Slovakia sent in three straight on action with Dina Telypko gaining her second off the top-right position. A minute and a half later, Martha Perici executed a beautiful shot from the top on extra for her third goal. Player-of-the-match Elena Borg was in the mix of the next three Maltese goals, scoring twice from the penalty line and once on extra for the 9-8 advantage at the final break. Eyla Schembri tapped in a rebound at the right-post position on extra for 10-8 at 7:25 of the fourth quarter. It was more than five minutes later before any breakthrough came with Telypko scoring the first of two six-metre, free-throw goals. The second came at 0:38, forcing the 10-10 tie. Neither side could pull off a successful shot after a timeout and the match went to penalties. This was terrifying as Malta missed twice and Slovakia three times, leaving Perici to convert the winner for the 13-11 win.
Match Heroes
Borg with four goals and Perici with three for Malta. Telypko nailed four goals for Slovakia and goalkeeper Ella Pechova pulled in 11 saves.
Turning Point
Slovakia going 8-5 and Malta going 10-8. Telypko’s two six-metre goals earned the shootout.
Stats Don’t Lie
Malta had all the stats going its way — converting six from 11 on extra and shut down both Slovakia’s shot. It scored two penalty goals to none; stole the ball 6-0 and outshot 33-22.
Ranking
1. Russia 82.2
2. China 81.6
3. Croatia 80.4
4. Canada 75.9
5. Portugal 72.5
6. Great Britain 61.3
7. Kazakhstan 58.5
8. Brazil 56.6
9. Malta 54.5
10. Turkiye 40.6
11. Singapore 39.4
12. Slovakia 37.5
13. South Africa 35.3
14. Germany 34.1
15. Argentina 32.8
Day 3 Schedule
10:00, Canada v Portugal
11:30, Croatia v Malta
13:00, China v Germany
15:00, Great Britain v Kazakhstan
16:30, South Africa v Russia
18:00, Argentina v Slovakia
19:30, Singapore v Turkiye