Great Britain coach Danny Kerry was left feeling “very pleased” after his inexperienced side matched the world number two side Argentina in the second test of five in Salta on Sunday evening. Despite losing the match 2-0, the performance marked a significant step up for the GB women who competed with the hosts throughout the first half and outperformed them in the second period.
Ultimately, it was two penalty corner goals that made the difference with Noel Barrionuevo and Silvina D’Elia both netting from set pieces late in the first half. Great Britain will be satisfied however with their defensive effort on the whole, keeping out all but two of Argentina’s 13 corners; all the more pleasing given that goalkeeper Kirsty Mackay, who plays her club hockey for Bowdon Hightown, was making her senior international debut having yet to be capped by her home nation, England. Also in the Great Britain side for the first time was Leicester’s Katy Long who had sat out the first match on Saturday.
The match began tentatively with neither side creating any opportunities of note in the opening five minutes. Argentina won the first of their corners after ten minutes but the GB defense stood firm.
On 15 minutes the Reading pairing of Kate Walsh and Jo Ellis combined well but the move came to nothing and GB survived a slight worry minutes later when a dangerous bouncing ball was cleared from in front of the goal.
Crista Cullen had GB’s first penalty corner effort after 20 minutes and was unlucky to see her shot deflected to safety.
Argentina then won a series of penalty corners with Noel Barrionuevo eventually netting from Las Leonas’ seventh corner of the match in the 24th minute. Despite the setback, Great Britain were enjoying their own forays forward and Canterbury’s Natalie Seymour was thwarted by Argentina goalkeeper Succi.
Five minutes after taking the lead, Argentina made it 2-0 through Silvina D’Elia at their ninth penalty corner. There was still time in the first half for Helen Richardson to threaten from GB’s second penalty corner but her drag flick effort was turned over by Succi.
Early second half Argentina pressure came to nothing and it was Nicola White who was next to threaten a goal for GB but again Succi kept the effort out. As the match wore on Great Britain grew in confidence and despite losing Kate Walsh for two minutes to a green card they kept possession.
Chloe Rogers, two matches away from a combined century of GB and England caps, and Helen Richardson both had encouraging shots on goal from the top of the Argentina circle but could not find the goal to start a comeback.
Late in the game, as Great Britain attacked at pace with a heavy overload, the umpire’s whistle blew to call for medical treatment for the World Player of the Year Luciana Aymar and the last opportunity of the match was snuffed out.
Despite the defeat, a clearly delighted Danny Kerry was full of praise for his side afterwards: “Argentina at home and with Aymar playing are absolutely on fire and we played extremely well to match them all over the pitch.
“I’m very pleased tonight and although I’d like to see us play like we did in the second half for the whole 70 minutes we took a massive step up here tonight. We generated some good opportunities and ran Argentina off the pitch in the second half.”
Argentina-Great Britain 2:0 (2:0)
Goals Argentina: Noel Barrionuevo 24 (PC), Silvina D’Elia 29 (PC)
Source: Great Britain Hockey ltd.
