Argentina win first Champions Trophy on home soil
Final – ARG 1-0 GBR

Pushed forward by their spectacular home crowd Argentina started with great pace into this final. As Great Britain was defending very well the spectators did not witness much action in the British circle apart from three penalty corners. Either they were saved by goalkeeper Beth Storry or run down by defender Crista Cullen.

However, the World Champions wanted to take the lead on home soil and won their penalty corners four and five towards the end of the first half. Their fifth attempt succeeded when Argentina provided a variation involving Noel Barrionuevo and Silvina D’Elia (29’) who opened the scoring. Great Britain, playing off in a Champions Trophy final for the first time, had one penalty corner which went wide.

Argentina have won three of four Champions Trophy finals in which they scored the opening goal. They only failed to win the 2011 final losing in a penalty shoot-out after leading Netherlands 3-0.

To sum up the first half it has been a very competitive encounter with both defences remaining solid and breaking up opposition attacking moves. Argentina have had more promising attacks than Great Britain. It was a physical contest where four green cards were awarded, three to Argentina and one to Great Britain.

The spectators in the crowded World Cup stadium in Rosario had to wait patiently until they saw more action in the circle. It took up to the middle of the second half until Argentina won two more penalty corners. Both were saved by Beth Storry in the British goal. Breaking through the Argentine defence was a real challenge for Great Britain who did not penetrate the circle until the 62^nd minute.  Argentina continued to attack and did not sit back defending their lead and this made it more difficult for Great Britain as especially the crowd were very vocal in their support of every Argentine attack.

Match Review 24. Final 1-2 Argentina – Great Britain x-x

> Argentina become the fourth team to win the Champions Trophy at least once on home turf, joining Netherlands (1987, 2000 and 2011), Australia (1999 and 2003) and China (2002).

> Argentina are now on 5 CT goal medals. Only Australia (6) and Netherlands (6) have won more CT titles.

> Las Leonas collected their 9th Champions Trophy medal and their 6th in a row.

> Luciana Aymar wins 5th Champions Trophy gold medal, equalling the record jointly held by Australia's Rechelle Hawkes and Juliet Haslam.

> Runners-up Great Britain are the 10th team to win a CT medal and are the first first-time medal winners since New Zealand claimed bronze in 2011.

> Silvina D'Elia’s match winning goal marked her first CT goal since scoring a PC goal against China in 2010.

> Argentina converted 1 of 8 penalty corners in this match and have now scored 7 of 32 penalty corners awarded at Rosario 2012. Only GB (8 from 21 PC) have scored more PC goals this tournament.

> GB’s Crista Cullen (5PC) finishes on top of the goalscorer list at Rosario 2012 on 5 goals, equal most with Japan’s Rika Komazawa (3FG, 2PC) and Korea’s Lee Seon-Ok (3PC, 2PS)

> GB had the tightest defence at Rosario 2012, having conceded only 5 goals in 6 matches (3FG, 1PC and 1PS).

> At 38% GB have the highest penalty corner success rate at Rosario 2012, scoring 8 of 21.

> GB have conceded only 1 of 28 penalty corners awarded to their opponents, Silvina D'Elia’s match winning goal in the final.

> Noel Barrionuevo failed to score today and is still on 24 CT career goals (22PC – 2PS). She trails all-time CT top scorer Maartje Paumen by 1 goal (25 CT goals: 23PC - 2PS).

> The only time (of a possible six) the Champions Trophy holders went on to become Olympic champions was in 1996, when 1995 CT winners Australia won Olympic gold.

Match Preview 24. Final 1-2 Argentina – Great Britain (February 5th, 8:00pm)

Fact

> The only time (of a possible six) the Champions Trophy holders went on to become Olympic champions was in 1996, when 1995 CT winners Australia won Olympic gold.

Head-to-Heads

> This will be the first Champions Trophy encounter between Argentina and Great Britain.

> These teams have met 4 times at the Olympic Games with GB winning twice and Argentina once. There has been one draw.

> GB’s victories over Argentina at the Olympics came in 1988 (1-0) and in 1996 (5-0).

> At Sydney 2000 Argentina beat GB 1-0.

> Their last world level meeting came at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, where GB came back from 2 goals down to draw 2-2, goals scored by Soledad Garcia (PC), Alejandra Gulla (PC), Sarah Thomas (PC) and Mel Clewlow (PC).

> In the built up the built up to this CT tournament, GB beat Argentina 2-0 in the Four Nations tournament in Cordoba. Goals scored by Kerry Williams and Crista Cullen (PC). Abi Walker was defending the GB goal in this match.

 
Argentina

> Argentina chase their 5th CT title. Currently Australia and Netherlands are on a record 6 CT titles.

> Las Leonas will collect their 9th Champions Trophy medal and their 6th in a row. They last failed to win a CT medal at Amstelveen 2006, finishing 4th.

> Argentina have won 3 of the last 4 world level events (2009 CT, 2010 CT and 2010 World Cup), only missing out on the 2011 CT title finishing second to the Netherlands.

> Three teams have won the Champions Trophy at least once on home turf: Netherlands (1987, 2000 and 2011), Australia (1999 and 2003) and China (2002). Argentina aim to join this list by winning Rosario 2012.

> This is the fourth Champions Trophy tournament hosted by Argentina. Las Leonas have never won a CT title on home soil finishing 6th in 1995, 3rd in 2004 and runners-up in 2007.

> Luciana Aymar chases a record equalling 5th Champions Trophy title. Australia’s Rechelle Hawkes and Juliet Haslam jointly hold the record for most Champions Trophies (5).

> Noel Barrionuevo is on 24 CT career goals (22PC – 2PS). She trails all-time CT top scorer Maartje Paumen by 1 goal coming in to the last day of competition at Rosario 2012.

> Argentina have conceded 10 goals in 5 matches at Rosario 2012, GB have only conceded 4.

> Argentina are on 6 goals from 24 penalty corners in the tournament (25%).

> Argentina have conceded 5 goals from 19 penalty corners awarded to their opponents.

> Marie Jose Fernandez celebrates her 24^th birthday today.

 
Great Britain

> Great Britain are in the final of a world level event for the first time in hockey history.

> Their best result so far at a world level event (CT, WC, OG) was winning a bronze medal at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona.

> Before the start of the tournament, Japan and Great Britain were the only teams at Rosario 2012 still chasing their first Champions Trophy medal.

> GB and Netherland have scored most goals, coming into the last day of competition at Rosario 2012 (14 goals).

> GB have the tightest defence at Rosario 2012, having conceded only 4 goals in 5 matches (3FG and 1PS).

> GB have conceded no goals from 20 penalty corners awarded to their opponents at Rosario 2012.

> GB have converted by far the most penalty corners; 8 of 20 PC awarded at Rosario 2012 (40%).

> Beth Storry has kept two clean sheets at Rosario 2012 (vs JPN and GER). The only other goalkeeper with a clean sheet so far is Holland’s Joyce Sombroek (vs NZL).

> Crista Cullen has scored 5 goals so far this tournament. She leads the goalscorer list after the semifinals together with Korea’s Lee Seon-Ok.

> Cullen is now on a career total of 7 CT goals, leading all other goalscorers for GBR and ENG. Alex Danson and Karen Brown are on 6 goals, Rebecca Herbert and Helen Richardson are on 5.

> Alex Danson (3 goals in Rosario) can break her personal record of 3 goals in a CT edition which dates back to 2010.

> Helen Richardson and Ashleigh Ball have scored twice this tournament. Sarah Thomas and Georgie Twigg are on 1 goal each.