Host nation gets off to winning start

Match Review ARG - GBR 2-1

Watch clips from the Argentina - Great Britain gam…Posted December 6, 2015

A tough, feisty encounter between the host nation Argentina and Great Britain was a fitting finale to the first day of competition at the Argentina Hockey World League Final.

While the world number three side emerged as 2-1 winners – to the delight of the vociferous crowd – this was a close encounter with little quarter given by either team.

A searching run by Susannah Townshend set up Lily Owsley with the perfect opportunity to score just five minutes into the second Pool B game. This was against the run of play as Argentina had been putting heavy pressure on the Great Britain defence until that moment.

The equaliser came from Maria Granatto in the 15th minute. The goal was a well-taken penalty corner, won after some mesmerising build-up play that left the Great Britain defence unable to avoid conceding a corner.

As the half continued, both sides created chances. Alex Danson and Owsley were particularly busy in the Argentine circle, while Delfina Merino and Helen Richardson-Walsh – who was playing her 100th match for Great Britain – were playing their own feisty, hard-tackling games in midfield.

In the final action of the first half, Argentina won another penalty corner but this time the shot flew harmlessly wide of Maddie Hinch's goal.

The second half saw an increase in pressure from the Great Britain team as they pushed higher up the pitch and forced Argentina onto the back foot. Driving runs from Susannah Townsend, Ashleigh Ball and Ellie Watton led to a penalty corner, but Belen Succi dealt with it easily.

In turn, Martina Cavallero and Carla Dupuy led Las Leonas' attack and a penalty corner followed. Hinch made the initial save but the rebound flew to Agustina Habif (41') who slapped it home as it flew mid-air.

Great Britain then rode a tough few minutes as Argentina piled on the pressure. When the whistle for the end of the third quarter came, it was to the relief of the team in red.

The final quarter saw Great Britain pressuring the Argentine defence but finding no way through. The Argentina defensive unit was impenetrable in those closing moments and on this occasion Danny Kerry and his team were unable to add to their recent run of wins.

Goals

Team	Minute	Shirt #	Player	Action	Score
GBR	5	26	OWSLEY Lily	FG	0 - 1
ARG	15	15	GRANATTO Maria	PC	1 - 1
ARG	41	14	HABIF Agustina	PC	2 - 1

Cards

Team	Minute	Shirt #	Player	Type
ARG	31	15	GRANATTO Maria	G

ARG

Minute	Shirt #	Name	Goals	Green
X	1	SUCCI Belen
Bench	2	TOCCALINO Sofia
X	3	ZULOAGA Victoria
29	6	CEDRES Jimena
8	7	CAVALLERO Martina
X	9	DUPUY Carla
X	11	REBECCHI Carla
X	12	MERINO Delfina
Bench	13	ALADRO Maria
X	14	HABIF Agustina	1
X	15	GRANATTO Maria	1	1
X	16	HABIF Florencia
X	17	SANCHEZ Rocio
10	18	ROMANG Pilar
10	19	ALBERTARRIO Agustina
8	23	CAMPOY Maria Pilar
X	27	BARRIONUEVO Noel
X	29	GOMES Julia

GBR

Minute	Shirt #	Name	Goals
X	1	HINCH Maddie
Bench	2	MACKAY Kirsty
5	3	MAGUIRE Emily
X	4	UNSWORTH Laura
4	6	MACLEOD Hannah
5	7	TWIGG Georgie
X	8	RICHARDSON-WALSH Helen
X	9	TOWNSEND Susannah
X	11	RICHARDSON-WALSH Kate
X	13	QUEK Sam
X	14	LEIGH Joie
X	15	DANSON Alex
X	20	WEBB Hollie
X	21	WATTON Ellie
4	22	BALL Ashleigh
4	26	OWSLEY Lily	1
X	28	WHITE Nicola
Bench	32	CULLEN Crista

DNP = Did not participate
S = Suspended
DSQ = Disqualified

Match Officials

Role	Official
Umpire 1	MIAO Lin
Umpire 2	MEISTER Michelle
Reserve Umpire	McCLEAN Ayanna
Video Umpire	ROACH Lisa
Judge 1	TAKEDA Alicia
Judge 2	AKII-BUA Nataki
Technical Officer	SHIN Jung Hee

Pool A

Pool B

ARG V GBR ( Pool B ) Hockey World League Final Rosario 2015