The experienced players from Japan are the favourites at the BDO World Cup Qualifier in Kazan, Russia where only the winner will qualify for BDO FIH World Cup in Rosario, Argentina. Azerbaijan and Italy will probably be the toughest opponents for Japan to beat during the event that will take place from 17-25 April 2010. Host Russia and the two underdogs from Wales and Belarus have nothing to lose and can only surprise.
Japan is the team with the biggest World Cup experience at the BDO World Cup Qualifier held in Kazan. They played the Beijing Olympics in 2008 finishing tenth and participated also at Women’s Champions Trophy in 2008 in Mönchengladbach (Germany). Compared to the other five nations Japan have the highest number of World Cup participations with 5 in the last 36 years. For the World Cup in Madrid 2006 and Perth 2002 they also needed to play a qualification tournament which they finished successfully. In Madrid the Japanese women celebrated their biggest success in their newer World Cup history finishing fifth. The last time Japan missed a World Cup was in 1998 where they didn’t perform very well at the qualifier in Harare (Zimbabwe) ending up tenth.
The toughest opponents for the favourites from Japan are probably the aspiring women from Azerbaijan. Although Azerbaijan have still a young history in top Women’s Hockey they cannot get underestimated anymore. The squad which is the same as the Atasport Baku club-team has already surprised at the Eurohockey Club Champions Cup in Berlin at the beginning of April this year. They won the quarter final against the Spanish Champion Club de Campo Villa de Madrid with 2-1 and qualified for the final four in May. Their team is definitely well-rehearsed which can be a great advantage for them in Kazan. The last time Azerbaijan turned up in a World Cup qualifier was in 2006 in Rome where they finished ninth. If Azerbaijan won in Russia, it would be their first appearance at a World Cup.
To participate in the final is not expected from Italy. But of course they have nothing to lose and will fight in every game to surprise again. They have already impressed at the Olympic qualifier in Victoria (Canada) when they bet Ireland 2-0 and made the final. They were close to receive a ticket for Beijing but lost clearly 5-0 against Korea. Their last World Cup qualifier encounter was in Rome where they missed the qualification for Madrid and turned last in front of their home crowd. The last time the South Europeans participated at a World Cup was in 1976 in Berlin ranking tenth.
Host Russia played the World Cup in Perth 2002 and in Dublin 1994 finishing last at both. Kazan has already hosted a qualifier for the Beijing Olympics where Russia played France for rank five and won 2-1. This year the Russians will try even harder to achieve a great result pushed forward by their home crowd.
The underdogs at this qualifier are coming from Wales and Belarus. Wales turned up at Women’s World Cup in Kuala Lumpur 1983 finishing last. Belarus have never played a World Cup or World Cup qualifier in history. Both teams can surprise only, the expectations coming from outside are small and their participation at this tournament is already a great success for these two nations.
All action from the BDO World Cup Qualifier in Kazan, Russia can be followed live through the special micro site of the International Hockey Federation (FIH). Please click here for direct access.
