The first womens semifinal was between South American neighbors Argentina and Chile. The match was intense right from the start. In the opening minutes, Argentina had most of the possession, but Chile often had three players around each Argentina with the ball. After Argentina’s Delfina Merino beat Chile’s Sofia Walbaum in the right side of her attacking circle, Merino crossed the ball to Martina Cavallero who gave Argentina the lead in the 6^th minute. A turnover by Walbaum in her backfield led to more Argentina attack and the first penalty corner of the match in the 8^th minute. Barrionuevo shot her signature drag flick that Cavallero deflected for the score right past Chile’s keeper Claudia Schuler to make the score Argentina 2, Chile 0. Two minutes later, Argentina immediately earned another penalty corner, but Schuler saved the shot by Barrionuevo. Chile ran back on attack and had a shot blocked by Argentina’s keeper Belen Succi. Argentina continued to pressure on attack, but Walbaum and Chile’s Camila Carram played good defense to force Argentina to pass the ball in the midfield. In the final minute of the first quarter, Chile tried to get the ball into their attacking circle, but unable to do so as time expired the score at the end of the first quarter remained Argentina 2, Chile 0.

Argentina continued to attack to start the second quarter, but Francisca Pizzarro and Walbaum played tough defense to keep Argentina from penetrating their attacking circle for the first four minutes of the second quarter. In the 20^th minute, Argentina earned a penalty corner, but the shot went wide. In the 22^nd minute, Pizzarro stole the ball and hit the ball down field, but it went out of play and Argentina regained possession. Argentina continued to pressure on attack and Chile continued to play incredibly strong defense. Pizzarro stole the ball again and found Agustina Venegas. In the 24^th minute, Venegas shot the ball to the opposite post, but Succi was just there to make the leg-split save. After more strong defense by Chile, Chile went on the attack and the strong attack by Manuela Urroz near her attacking goal lead to Chile’s first penalty corner of the match. In the 29^th minute, Argentina’s defense blocked up Chile’s penalty corner play. Thus the halftime score remained Argentina 2, Chile 0.

The first five minutes of the third quarter was a battle for possession in the midfield. Camila Carram continued to play good center defense for Chile that helped keep Argentina from penetrating their attacking circle until the 37^th minute. Agustina Albertarrio took advantage of Argentina’s first real attacking opportunity of the third quarter by slamming the ball from the top of the circle past Schuler to make the score Argentina 3, Chile 0. Argentina continued to pressure on attack, but Chile continued to play strong team defense, including Francisca Tala and Venegas on the forward line. In the 44^th minute Argentina earned another penalty corner, Schuler saved the initial shot, but Merino collected the rebound and slammed it in to make the score Argentina 4, Chile 0.

Three minutes into the fourth quarter, Merino continued to prove her scoring ability by shooting a rocket past Schuler for her second goal of the match to increase her team’s lead over Chile by five goals. Chile didn’t let up, however, and earned a penalty corner in the 49^th minute, but the shot was saved by Argentina’s Florencia Habif. In the 54^th minute, Tala had a hard shot on goal saved by Succi, but the play resulted in another penalty corner for Chile. Daniela Carram could not complete the play and Argentina regained possession. With Camila Carram and teammates holding off the Argentina attack in the final minutes, the final result remained Argentina 5, Chile 0. Thus, Argentina will move on to the gold medal match, while Chile will play for bronze on Friday 24 July.