(Photo: © Wolfgang Sternberger)
Visit the Samsung Hockey Champions Trophy website
The field at the women's Samsung Hockey Champions Trophy has begun to separate into two distinct groups, with three teams leading the way for a berth in Sunday’s final.
Netherlands and Australia are closest to claiming a spot in the tournament decider after maintaining their unbeaten record against Asia’s two representatives in the third round of matches in Canberra.
The Dutch maintained their perfect record with an easy two-goal defeat of Korea to tighten their stranglehold on the points table.
The defending champions have justified their pre-tournament favouritism in the opening three matches and it will take a special performance to topple the world’s top-ranked nation.
The tournament’s other undefeated team, Australia, struggled to overcome China, needing a gritty defensive performance and a second half goal to grab a vital three points and keep the surging Argentina at bay.
However the Hockeyroos have battled impressively so far and are yet to concede a goal in the tournament, the only team to maintain a perfect defensive record.
A win for either the Netherlands or Australia in their next matches on Thursday against China and Argentina respectively will be enough to advance them to the gold medal match.
Argentina is the only other team in with a realistic chance of catching the runaway unbeaten teams, with their clash against Australia on Thursday the pivotal match in the chase for the final.
Las Leonas controlled their clash against Germany for large parts of the match tonight and pulled away with a pair of quick goals in the second half. Germany rallied after half time but couldn’t find the finishing touch to put the shine on a polished effort further up the pitch.
China is the only other team with a mathematical chance of contesting the final, but tonight’s 2-0 loss to Australia effectively ended their charge. They will need results falling perfectly in their favour to snatch an unlikely top two finish.
While Germany suffered another loss against Argentina – their third in a row - they delivered a much livelier performance which provides a platform to build on for the remainder of the week.
While currently last on the points table, the Olympic champions face Korea and China in their next two matches, giving them a good chance to crawl from the relegation zone and into the bronze medal playoff.
The bottom two teams at the end of the round robin phase will playoff with the loser relegated from the 2006 Champions Trophy in the Netherlands.
With the tournament to be played prior to the Samsung Hockey World Cup next year, it will be a vital element in each competitor’s preparation for year’s most important tournament, adding extra significance to the final placings in Canberra this weekend.
Germany would be favoured against Korea after their Asian rivals failed to find the scoresheet for the third straight match against the Netherlands.
China troubled Australia for the majority of the first half in their clash but also couldn’t convert multiple penalty corner opportunities before conceding one at the other end to lose the match.
Tomorrow (Wednesday) is another rest day before the fourth round of matches on Thursday. At least one inalist is likely to be know after the completion of play.
