Japan v. Belgium 1-1 (half-time: 0-1)
With both teams well out of the playoff picture, it was a battle for pride in today’s Belgium vs. Japan match. In the end both teams could hold their heads a little higher after they played to a 1-1 draw in an entertaining and competitive battle that had the intensity of a game with the semi’s on the line.

Things got off to a slow start on both ends, but about mid-half Belgium picked things up a notch and were rewarded with a slew of chances, including a shot that dinged off the post on a penalty corner and a chance that had to be saved on the line by Japanese defenseman Rika Komazawa.

Ultimately, it was a penalty stroke from Jill Boon with two minutes left in the half that broke the scoring silence. Japan asked for a video referral on the call, but after review, it was denied and Boon calmly stepped up to the mark and fired the stroke in.

Belgium continued to cling to its slim lead through the second half, doing their best to fend off the speedy Japanese counterattack and they almost pulled it off until Yukari Yamamoto scored after the dove to reach a rebound, tying the game at one. Japan had a chance in the last minute to go for the win when a penalty corner was awarded, but the last minute effort went harmlessly wide and the two teams each came away with a point.

The draw leaves the bottom half of Pool A wide open as Korea, Japan and Belgium could all finish as high as seventh or as low as 12^th. Korea currently has three points, Belgium sits with two point after two draws and Japan has one point. Monday’s results will determine who gets plugged into which placement game.

(Eric Bailey)

Jill BOON (BEL)
On her goal, after her brother Tom BOON (BEL) scored yesterday:
"I talked to Tom yesterday and said how he had put the pressure on me to score, but that was more of a joke. We don't count who scores more. But it was great to hear the noise from the crowd when I scored and I think the moment that I scored was important."

On their upcoming games:
"To us, every game is an important one. We still have the chance not to become last in our group and for us, that is a result in itself. We are the number 16 in the world and we have to win absolutely every game and show that we can fight the countries ranked higher than us and that we have a right to be here."

Charlotte DE VOS (BEL)

On how the team played today:
"I'm happy, but disappointed at the same time. We gave everything we could, but we just didn't play to our best. Japan play a very different game to us."

Emilie SINIA (BEL)
On their performance today:
"It is not so much that we are happy or disappointed about the goal we did score, but more about the two goals that we missed. We played a very good first half and I think the way I saved that goal was amazing. In the second half we dropped, especially on our defensive play. We got a couple of yellow cards and that left us with nine players on the field. However, at the end of the match I think we are happy with one point."

On their next game against Korea:
"The last group match is very important because that still affects our classifications. We are still in advance of Japan and we don't want to end up being last."

 

Rika KOMAZAWA (JPN)

On the team's and her own performance:

"I felt that today was the best performance (of the tournament). I felt that I put in a good performance. As a team we concentrated and put bodies forward."

On the next match against China:
"We know that they are a strong team. We will focus more on defence than attack, but we will try to put in more short passes and to counter (attack)."